Resilience Read online

  Tom’s head drooped, his hands coming to rest on either side of the stove. “Goddamn,” he muttered. “What are you tryin’ to do to me, buddy?”

  “Merely reminding you who you belong to.”

  When Tom and Tyler first officially seduced Nevvie, they’d settled into a playful, informal M/s dynamic with her. Nothing official, definitely more a bedroom scenario than any serious delving into BDSM, but it was the source of Nevvie being able to harden both their cocks when she dropped into “slave” mode and called them Master. After Tom’s accident, when he’d emotionally slipped away from them for a little while, they’d ended up spending some time in a quasi-formal M/s dynamic with Tommy as Tyler and Nevvie’s boy.

  It was a delicious dynamic Tyler loved to revisit on occasion.

  Like right now.

  He slipped his fingers inside the waistband of Tom’s pajama pants and slid them down his hips, making him step out of them and tossing them out of the way. Then he pressed his body along Tom’s, biting down on the back of Tom’s right shoulder.

  “Did you book our flights, boy?”

  Tom’s head lolled back onto Tyler’s shoulder. “First flight I could get us on leaves here Friday. Direct to Atlanta. Commuter late Friday into Savannah.”

  “Excellent.” He made Tom turn. Tyler stared up into his eyes, loving this man and knowing how damn lucky he was that Thomas was even tolerating him being this caught up in…everything the past week.

  He reached down and gave Tom’s cock a slow stroke. “Naked for the rest of the night. Do you need me to turn the heat up more?”

  “No.”

  “No, what?”

  Tom smiled. “No, Sir. You want me to get that butt plug out of the bathroom cabinet, too?”

  “Huh?”

  “Uh, I’m only kidding about that. Ew. I mean, yes, there is one there, but I’m not using it.”

  Tyler had rummaged around some through the bedroom drawers and closets but somehow had missed that. “Agreed. Only thing going in that lovely arse of yours is me.” He kissed Tom. “How much longer before dinner’s ready?”

  “About twenty minutes.”

  “Excellent. I’m going to go call Nevvie and the children. If they even remember I’m their father after this long.”

  He headed down to the bedroom and straight for the bathroom. Sure enough, there it sat, in the cabinet.

  He stared at it for a long moment as Marcus’ voice drifted through his memory.

  “Just so you know, I don’t bottom. Somehow I get the feeling that’s not going to be a problem for you, is it?”

  How long, exactly, had it sat there? With Marcus unable to get rid of it?

  Unable to bear the pain of not seeing it there?

  Tyler reached down and retrieved the tube of lube. It was old and felt like it’d dried out, from how light it was in his hand. The date embossed on the crimp at the end of the tube showed it was almost eighteen years expired.

  He dropped it into the garbage and closed the cabinet, leaving the butt plug there.

  He walked out to the bedroom and opened one of the closets. After searching it and not finding what he’d expected, he tried the other. On the top shelf there, shoved to the back and hidden by a stack of folded sweaters, lay a leather valise, like an overnight or carry-on size. Tyler brought it down and opened it.

  In it, a set of leather cuffs and a matching collar. A few paddles, straps, a riding crop, and other implements. A blindfold, a ball gag.

  A four-foot leather whip.

  Marcus’ voice returned.

  “Ah, a favorite of mine. I love a short singletail. You can kiss the flesh with it and make a boy come, or you can take off skin and make a boy scream.”

  Tyler had, in an interlude between Marcus leaving him and Thomas walking into Haslam’s bookstore that afternoon, had some experience with real BDSM. Two men and a woman who’d welcomed him into their odd little dynamic and taught him more about himself and life and living and friendship and trust than he’d ever dreamed possible.

  Whose healing energy had made it possible for him to open himself to Thomas and love him.

  He knew a good-quality whip when he saw one.

  This was a whip of exceptional quality. Tyler uncoiled it and gave it a test flick with his wrist—

  And almost hit himself in the face with it. No telling how many years it had lain curled up in this bag. From the tight, circular feel of the leather, it likely hadn’t been used since before Jean-Claude’s death.

  He carefully coiled it and returned it and the other items to the bag. After a thought, he grabbed the butt plug from the bathroom and tossed it into the valise before returning it to its place in the closet. That done, he washed his hands and took the rings and necklace and slipped them into his wallet, which he left on the dresser.

  Sinking onto the end of the bed, he dialed Nevvie’s number.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” she answered.

  “I take it the children are around?”

  “I’m in the middle of Publix, sooo yeah, no phone sex. Sorry. Ours are all in school.”

  “Ah. That’s right.” Blasted time difference. “I had Tom book our return flights.”

  She squeed. “That’s great! When?”

  “We leave here on Friday. I just returned from an errand, so I don’t know the details yet.”

  “I’m sure he’ll e-mail them to me. Do I need to come get you?”

  “No. He booked a commuter flight to Savannah.”

  “Even if I have to come get you, it’s totally worth it. Did you get your edits done?”

  “I will have by Wednesday, at the latest.”

  “Good.” Her voice dropped. “I’m really glad you’re coming home.”

  “That makes two of us, pet.”

  “I’ve been talking to Crystal.”

  Tyler’s body involuntarily tensed. “Have you?”

  “About the social media campaigns. I really like her. She’s a go-getter.”

  He marginally relaxed. “And?”

  “I think her idea about a series of book tours in the Southeast is good. Short ones. Get your face in front of people who can’t make big events like the one in New York. Help build word-of-mouth campaigns for this book.”

  Tension returned. “I’m not up to a bunch of tours right now.”

  “I know, sweetie. After you’re home and settled in. First, just locally. Savannah, Atlanta. Day trips. Maybe Tampa and Orlando, and we can all go down and visit everyone.”

  “I suppose that wouldn’t be so horrible.”

  “Tommy and I would go with you.”

  “What brought about this change of heart about her?”

  He heard her sigh from the other side of the Atlantic. “Talking to her. She’s young. Energetic. But I liked what I heard. I think Elliot made a good choice putting her to work on your account. She knows stuff I didn’t about social media. We’ve already had over one hundred new likes on your Facebook page in the past twenty-four hours, from just a couple of posts I made. That’s hard proof.”

  He didn’t care about things like that. “I leave that to your judgment, pet. I’m a total loss when it comes to all that.”

  “I know. That’s what I’m here for. I need to go. I’ve got frozen stuff in my cart and I need to finish shopping.”

  “Right. Love you, darling. Please hug the children for me and tell them that.”

  “I will.”

  After ending the call, he stared at his phone for a long moment. Then he glanced at the now-closed closet.

  Back to his phone.

  It felt like all he did lately was work. Like he was missing out on the best and last years they’d have with their kids living at home before they fledged and moved on to their own lives.

  Tyler changed into pajama bottoms before returning to the living room, where he switched off the TV and turned on the stereo, finding a station playing jazz. There he left it before he rejoined Thomas in the kitchen, stepping behind him and putt
ing his arms around him.

  “You’re in a mood, sugar,” Tommy teased.

  “I am.” Tyler nibbled the back of Tommy’s left shoulder, down, up again, to the nape of his neck. “After dinner, I plan on showing you what kind of mood I’m in…boy.”

  He laughed. “Oh, boy.”

  “I’m in a mood to ride that sweet cock of yours. As you yourself noted, we don’t often get the opportunity for couch sex on demand.”

  Tommy tipped his head back and met his gaze. “I love you so fuckin’ much. You know that, right?”

  Tyler slanted his lips over Tom’s, not just a kiss but a slow, sweet explanation of exactly how he felt about the man. “I know that I love you more than life itself,” he whispered. “And I know that I would not be where or who I am without your love and support.”

  “You sweet talkin’ thang, you.”

  “I mean it.”

  Tom turned and enveloped Tyler in his arms, his voice turning serious. “I told you then and I’ll say it now—I’m here for life. You’re my guy, and I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

  Tyler’s hands skimmed down Tom’s back, coming to rest on his ass. “You came here with me.”

  “Uh, yeah. Because no way in hell was I letting you deal with this alone.” He rested his forehead against Tyler’s. “We’ve had this talk before, buddy. You don’t have to be strong all of the time. We take turns. That’s what we do. That’s the gig of being partners. And this is one of those times where you lean on me and let me be the strong one so you can work through this and come back to us on the other side.”

  Tyler’s earlier Dominant bravado had faded with the discovery of the bag and remembering the past, the way it had been. Especially now, with a reminder of Tom’s strength and rock-steady support.

  Who was he kidding? He wanted to belong to Tom, to take care of him in return for him being…well, Tom. His strong, unwavering love.

  Tyler leaned against Tom. “I need you,” Ty whispered, his voice choked.

  Tom gathered him in his arms and kissed him again, holding him. “I know, buddy. That’s why I’m here. And that’s why I’m not going anywhere. Let’s eat dinner and spend some snuggle time together before you start working.”

  That’s exactly what they did, Tyler sending Tom to the sofa while he washed the dishes after they finished eating. When Tyler rejoined him, he found Tom lounging there, smiling, slowly stroking his thick, hard cock, legs splayed.

  “Come here, buddy.”

  Tyler dropped his pajama bottoms and walked over, climbing onto the couch, straddling Tom’s lap and facing him. Tom grabbed the back of Tyler’s head, a fistful of hair, and pulled him down for a deep, hard kiss. No gentle statement of love, this was ownership, a retaking of what was rightfully Tom’s and always had been from the day they met.

  Melting against his lover, Ty braced his arms on the back of the couch and ground his hips against Tom’s, their hard cocks rubbing against each other. Tom thoroughly mauled his mouth with lips and teeth and tongue, ending by sucking on Tyler’s lower lip and nipping it before pulling Ty’s head back. He handed Ty a condom with his free hand, still not relinquishing his grip on Tyler’s hair.

  Hands trembling with excitement and need, Tyler quickly opened the pouch and got it rolled down Tom’s shaft. He grabbed the tube of lube Tom had also brought out and slathered him with it before impaling himself on the man’s cock. He didn’t even bother trying to stretch himself first, knowing he needed that first, sharp, breathtaking pain that quickly sweetened into a burning pleasure as hot as any fires of Hell and worth every second of it.

  Tom hooked his other arm around Tyler’s body, fingers splayed along his spine, the other hand still tightly fisting Ty’s hair.

  “Tried to get toppy with me earlier, huh?” Tom whispered.

  Tyler was reduced to soft whines, because he wanted to fuck himself on Tom’s cock but the man held him in place, his ass firmly pressed against Tom’s thighs with Tom’s cock buried inside him to the root.

  Tom tipped Ty’s head to the side and grazed his teeth down his neck. “I know what my guy really needs tonight,” he whispered against Ty’s flesh. “He needs me to mark him as mine.”

  Ty clenched his ass around Tom’s cock in reply, hoping to coax him into moving, or letting him move.

  Instead, Tom bit down, hard, at the juncture of Tyler’s shoulder and neck, sucking, painfully pleasurable and making Tyler’s cock throb.

  That one would be visible, and Tom damn well knew it. Tyler didn’t try to stop him, either, as he sucked harder, for several minutes, determined to visibly brand him in an unmistakable way. Pre-cum leaked from Tyler’s cock, smearing between them, every squirm and movement Tyler made pulling him closer to release when combined with the achingly sweet torment of Tom’s teeth on his flesh.

  Finally, Tom released his bite and examined his handiwork with a pleased smile. “That’s a start, sugar.” He stared up into Tyler’s eyes, releasing Tyler and holding hands with him, fingers laced together. “Ride my cock, baby. Get what you need.”

  Tyler leaned in and kissed him, which pressed his cock between their bodies. He bounced up and down on Tom’s shaft, knowing that this angle would get him over quickly and bring Tom with him as his ass milked Tom’s release from him. So many nights alone, like this, before Nevvie, before children—just the two of them in their condo, later in their house, nothing between them but a thin layer of latex on occasion and their need and passion and love.

  Always love.

  Tom sucked on Tyler’s tongue, hard, roughly, and it was the final flick against his nerve endings Tyler needed. His balls tightened, the climax hammering him from the base of his spine out, ropes of cum between them suddenly slicking everything. Tom’s grip on Tyler’s hands tightened and he thrust up into him, meeting him stroke for stroke and muffling his groan with Tyler’s mouth as his cock exploded and filled the condom.

  Panting for breath, Tyler draped his arms over Tommy’s shoulders as they continued kissing, Tom’s hands settling on Tyler’s bare ass. Long, sweet, endless minutes passed between them.

  Back to the basics.

  Back to the beginning.

  Back to the truth of why they worked so well together, why Nevvie had perfectly fit between them.

  Back to the core of who they were as a couple.

  Back to them.

  “You’re my guy, Ty,” Tommy hoarsely whispered. “Always. Mine, and Nevvie’s. Grieve him as long as you need, but don’t you dare forget you’re ours. When your brain gets all tied up in knots over this, focus on us. On me. On what we built. I told you I wouldn’t share space in your head with anyone, and I meant it. Obviously, with Nevvie now, but every cell in your body is ours, not his. It never was his. He never took that from you, and I’m not about to hand you over to him now.”

  Tyler nestled against him, eyes closed, Tom’s cock still lodged inside Tyler’s ass, Tyler’s head resting in the crook of Tommy’s shoulder. Tom draped his arms around Tyler once more, cocooning him in his sweet, solid faith and love.

  “I want to go home.”

  “I know, buddy. You finish your edits, and Thursday we’ll clean up around here and get packed so we can leave Friday morning and head to the airport early and get settled in there. Then we’ll be home by late Friday night. No work this weekend, okay? Just us and the kids and Dad and everyone.”

  “All right.”

  Tom feathered his lips along Tyler’s forehead. “Let’s snuggle for a little while, then we’ll get cleaned up and I can go to bed and you can get back to work.”

  Tyler didn’t want to move, almost wished they hadn’t used a condom this time. He wanted to freeze this perfection, one of several snapshots in his life he knew he’d never let go of. “Yes.”

  “Love you, buddy.”

  A contented sigh escaped Tyler. “Love you, too, sweet.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Andrew had already told Karen and Bill he would be spending Monday a
nd Tuesday nights at Colin’s, that they would return Wednesday, and the family dinner would go on as usual.

  At least, that was the plan.

  The way Colin was talking, it was almost as if Colin would prefer staying at Andrew’s, even though he didn’t outright change his mind and ask Andrew to do that.

  Andrew packed an overnight bag and Monday afternoon, before Steven would get out of school and head over, they made the short journey to Colin’s.

  They’d gone grocery shopping yesterday to restock Colin’s kitchen while Mikey and Adam had helped prepare his house in case the storm did hit. But Colin didn’t have a generator, and the old, large, tall pine trees directly behind his house looked dangerously imposing to Andrew.

  “You realize you’ll ride the storm out at my house if it hits, right?” Andrew suggested.

  “Why? We have the shutters up.”

  Andrew pointed at the trees as they got out of Colin’s car. “Those come down on your house, it could quite possibly kill you. The trees are all trimmed around my house. Nothing is large enough to fall on the house and damage it. Plus, I have one of those generators that switches on automatically, and a full tank of propane to run it. But mostly because I’d rather you not be squished, love.”

  Colin seemed to finally see them for the first time. “Oh. I didn’t really think about it like that. We usually don’t get big storms around here.”

  They headed inside, Andrew taking his bag into Colin’s bedroom without asking if that’s where he was supposed to be. Colin also had a smaller bed, a full-sized opposed to the spacious queen bed in Andrew’s room.

  Still, he wanted some alone-alone time with Colin. With Karen and Bill and Chloe living at Andrew’s, they wouldn’t get as much of that. Here, at least, they could have that kind of needed opportunity to get to know each other.

  “What time does Steven usually come by?”

  “Should be by four. If he’s not coming, he calls and lets me know. He’s got practice after school today.”

  “Does he understand his mother’s…actions toward you?”