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  “You all right, baby?” Joel asked.

  “Yeah,” he muttered. “Just…yeah. SSDD.”

  “Ooookaaay, I’m confused. Karl and Shelly seem like amazing parents. Why are you upset?”

  “I’m not…upset. I’m a little aggravated. If what happened was like last year, okay, I’d get it. It’s been eight years. They need to let her live her life and be happy. I get that they want to wrap her in a bubble and protect her, but she’s a functional adult. She worked hard to dig her way out of that emotional pit. She’s a survivor now, not a victim.”

  “I take it they’d be happy packing her up and moving her home?”

  “Yeah, and she’d never have any kind of dating or social life if she did that. They’d insist on going with her to events, or else they’d likely be calling and texting her so much while she was out that she couldn’t enjoy herself. Good-bye any kind of kinky life.” He sighed. “Not that she has one now. She’s been too busy working.”

  Joel was silent for a few minutes as he drove. “Maybe she’s using work to self-medicate and avoid dating.”

  “Oh, she’s definitely doing that. Without question. No way am I telling them that, though.”

  * * * *

  Over the next week, Fen hit June’s studio every day after work, Monday through Thursday. While his body was protesting the new and unfamiliar strains and movements, he couldn’t deny that he was enjoying it, or the raging hunger in Joel’s eyes when he watched Fen demonstrating what he’d learned on their new pole. That had been installed on Wednesday afternoon, when Joel cut out early from work to help Scrye install theirs, then Scrye came over to help Joel.

  On Friday, Fen had arranged to leave work at lunchtime so he could go home and finish packing for them. Joel would join him there, grab a shower, then they’d drive over to Miami Beach.

  Fen had forgotten about the incident with the cell phone, too.

  Until he walked into the kitchen and looked at the space on the counter where he always put his keys, because he needed them so he could open the trunk of his car to load their luggage.

  And they weren’t there.

  Shit.

  He took a deep breath, rubbing back the gooseflesh rippling over his arms. Walking out into the middle of the living room, he turned, looking around.

  “Listen, July, we’ll be back soon, I promise. It’s just for the weekend, and it’s kinda our honeymoon. We’ll be back Sunday night. I promise to invite June and Mark over for dinner next week, sweetie.”

  He didn’t know if July would know who he was talking about if he used Scrye’s nickname instead of his real name, but it was awfully suspicious this activity had started up now, with both himself and Joel talking more about June and Scrye, and after Scrye had actually been there, at the house, helping Joel.

  July had died at only seventeen, long before Scrye had earned his nickname that their kinky friends mostly knew him by.

  “I would have had them over sooner if I knew you’d moved with us. I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t think you were here. But I really need my keys back, now. Please?”

  The dinner idea wasn’t even out of thin air, because Joel had already told Scrye he wanted them to come over one evening after they returned from Miami Beach.

  He heard a noise in the kitchen and went to investigate. His keys weren’t on the counter, where he knew he’d left them.

  But the drawer directly under that space now sat slightly ajar.

  He knew damn well he hadn’t opened it, much less put his keys in there. After forcing himself to reach out and tug on the handle with one finger, it smoothly slid open.

  There sat his keys, on top of the dishtowels and hot pads stored in there.

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, July.” He picked them up and closed the drawer. “I’ll leave the TV on for you, okay?” He used to do that sometimes in his old place, when the activity would ramp up when he’d have to work long hours, and he’d noticed that the distraction seemed to settle things down.

  Like she’d been bored.

  Shoving all of that out of his mind, he went to finish getting things ready before Joel arrived home.

  * * * *

  Joel fought the urge to speed home. He was looking forward to this weekend away with Fen. Sure, his boy’s time would be shared with Fen’s best friend, but that made Fen happy.

  Which was a good enough reason for Joel.

  Besides, they’d be spending a lot of time with his mom once she moved into Joel’s old condo, so it was only fair Fen got his share of time like that.

  Fen greeted him inside with a kiss. “We’re all packed. I laid clothes out for you, Master.”

  “Thank you, baby.” He started stripping off his work shirt as he walked. “I’ll be ready to go in about fifteen minutes.”

  When he emerged from their bedroom, showered and dressed and ready to go, he found Fen standing in the living room and channel surfing. “Okay, let’s go.”

  “Yes, Sir.” He left the TV set to Food Network and set the remote down on the coffee table, but left the TV on.

  “Aren’t you going to turn it off?” Joel asked.

  “No, I figured I’d leave it on. Let people think we’re home.”

  But that didn’t…

  Something about the way Fen said it didn’t strike his ear quite right.

  “Baby?” he asked as Fen walked past him, heading for the front door. He caught Fen by the arm and gently spun him around. “Talk to me.”

  Fen’s face flushed pink. “It’s nothing,” he muttered.

  “No, I think this is obviously something. You haven’t wanted to leave a TV on since…”

  No.

  He’d honestly discounted Fen’s assertion about a ghost in his old apartment.

  Fen stared up at him. “I’m ready to go, Master.”

  Joel arched an eyebrow. “Are we going to be playing this that way, then?”

  “What way?”

  Joel crossed his arms over his chest and waited him out, knowing Fen would eventually break down.

  He did.

  “My phone disappearing last weekend. I did not go out into the garage. Today, my keys were in the towel drawer in the kitchen, and that’s not where I left them. I didn’t even open that drawer.”

  “Do we need an exorcist?”

  “It’s not funny.”

  “I’m not laughing.”

  “I just…can we please go, Master?”

  “Not until I know you’re not freaked out.”

  “July doesn’t freak me out.”

  “July? You named her July?” That was an…unusual name choice. But then again, they had a friend named…

  June. With her older sister named May.

  Joel’s gaze narrowed. “Why do I get the feeling you’re hiding something from me, baby? That, I don’t like you doing.”

  Fen finally confessed what he’d learned about his previous apartment. Stunned, Joel slumped against the wall. “You didn’t think you should tell me any of that information?”

  “We moved me out, so it didn’t matter.”

  “Who else knows about the apartment’s history?”

  “Besides my parents? Lara, Victor and Simon, and Dustin. But Dustin never saw anything. He lived there after I’d lived there.”

  “So you think your ghost moved in with us?”

  “I invited her to, Sir.” He shrugged. “Believe it or don’t believe it, I honestly don’t care. But no one can convince me she wasn’t there with me and had my back that day. She sounded like June, and that was before I ever knew about July. Is it really so hard to believe? It cannot be a coincidence that after apologizing to her for not knowing she was here, and telling her I’d invite Scrye and June over to dinner—after she had to see Scrye here the other day helping you—that my keys are revealed.”

  Joel was not a woo-woo kind of person, but knew his boy was.

  He had two options in this instance: make a federal case about it and let it ruin their wee
kend, or let it go.

  “All right,” he said, leaning in for a kiss. “Make sure to send June a text seeing when they’re free next week to come over for dinner. Any night’s fine with me. But under no circumstances do you bring any of this up to them. They’re friends. I don’t want to hurt their feelings or make them think we’re poking fun at them. If they mention something first, that’s fine. Otherwise, no.”

  The blatant relief that filled Fen’s expression was more than worth the capitulation. “Of course. Thank you, Master!” He bounced up onto the balls of his feet to kiss Joel before he headed for the front door.

  Joel turned and stared at the house. Their house.

  I guess if you helped save my boy’s life, then I’d be rude not to welcome you here.

  He followed Fen out and closed and locked the door behind them after setting the alarm.

  Chapter Eleven

  Fen relaxed when it was obvious Joel was willing to drop the subject of their ghost. The first portion of their drive to Miami Beach was relaxing, since they’d hit the highway before the worst of rush-hour traffic.

  On their way across Alligator Alley, he stared out over the miles of sawgrass spreading on either side of I-75. “Maybe I should take a day off in a few weeks and drive over for lunch with her.”

  “If you want to, baby.” Joel was driving, sunglasses hiding his blue eyes from Fen.

  Yet his tone of voice—relaxed and easy—told the truth, that he was genuinely okay with it.

  “You really don’t mind?”

  “You’re my husband. She’s your best friend. Why would I mind? Besides, I’m going to owe you in a big way with Mom moving down here. It’s fine.”

  “I can’t wait for your mom to be here. She promised me she’s going to give me more cooking lessons.”

  Joel reached across the seat to hold hands with him. “You’re already a damn good cook.”

  “But she’s going to teach me how to cook more of your favorites.”

  * * * *

  And this was one of the many reasons Joel felt desperately in love with this man. Not only had his feelings for Fen not waned over their months together, they’d grown incredibly stronger.

  All Fen needed was love, trust, and to feel like someone was caring for him.

  Joel had no problem doing any of those things for him, and more.

  Their progress slowed to a crawl when they hit the eastern end of Alligator Alley and merged into the horrendous Miami-Dade County traffic. But with Fen navigating, they made their way over a causeway spanning the Intracoastal and onto the barrier island where the resort complex was located.

  Even though Joel had seen pictures of the resort online, seeing it in person was something else. Lush, perfectly maintained landscaping with palm trees, oleander, and other tropical plants set the tone. There were two towers of fifteen floors of rooms each, on top of the main lobby area and second floor meeting and banquet space that perched over three floors of parking. Fen must have texted Mads they were pulling in, because she was standing out front under the canopy with an attendant when Joel drove up.

  With an audible squee, Fen burst out of the car almost before Joel had brought it to a complete stop and flung himself at Mads.

  “I’m so glad you guys made it!”

  She looked gorgeous in an aqua green sundress that accentuated the greenish hints in her blue eyes and enhanced the reddish tones in her long brown hair. Her three-inch heels put her even with Fen’s five-nine. She wore a navy blazer that was part of the front staff’s uniform.

  Expecting the parking, he pulled the valet key out of his pocket and handed that over to the man once their bags were unloaded and he’d hugged Mads hello.

  Despite them asking her not to give them special treatment, she’d upgraded them to an upper floor, in a room overlooking the Atlantic, and free valet parking. After personally walking them through check-in, she led them to the bank of elevators after Joel waved off the luggage attendant. They only had the two large bags, and Fen carried their smaller overnight bag with their toiletries.

  “Are you free for dinner tonight?” Joel asked during the ride up to their room.

  “You boys don’t want a night to yourselves? We’ll eat together tomorrow night.”

  He shrugged. “We don’t get over here very often. I would like to spend some time with you.”

  “Sure. Only if you let me buy, though. Employee discount. We can eat out on the terrace tonight. Should be perfect weather for it. Can watch the full moon.” She nudged Fen’s hip with hers. “Fresh Florida lobster on the menu tonight. Our head chef is amazing.”

  “That sounds like a winner to me,” Fen said.

  When the door opened on their floor, he stepped aside so Mads could lead them down the hall to their room. She used one of the key cards to open the door and then handed both of them to Joel after pushing the door open. “Welcome to paradise.”

  The room wasn’t a suite, but it was larger than the average room, and had both a king-sized bed and a roomy sitting area.

  Including a padded hassock by the couch that Joel could already imagine plenty of kinky uses for.

  And they had a balcony overlooking the Atlantic. She opened the sliders and a cool breeze floated in. “In a few weeks we’ll start having nasty-hot weather, so this weekend is literally perfect.”

  “It’s fantastic!” Fen said as he stared out over the beach. “Thank you!”

  “Hey, you think I’m not going to fix my bestie and his guy up, think again. Perk of the rank. We’re not full-up right now, either, so yay. In three weekends, though, we’re almost at capacity for the next couple of months.”

  Joel set their bags down and hugged her. “Thank you for this, seriously. It’s great.”

  “You’re welcome.” She dropped him a conspiratorial wink that Fen couldn’t see, since he was still staring at the view. “Meet me downstairs at seven at the Tortuga Palms restaurant on the main floor.

  “Will do.”

  She headed for the door. “Oh, and you don’t have any neighbors on either side of you.” She cast a grin back at Joel. “So have fun, boys.” She plucked the Do Not Disturb card from the doorknob and held it up. “I’ll put this out for you, too.”

  Fen giggled as she let the door swing shut behind her.

  Joel turned to spot his smile. “What’s that giggle for, baby?”

  Fen yanked his shirt off over his head and tossed it onto the sofa. “I think that was tacit approval for loud and noisy spanky-spanky hanky panky.”

  Joel snorted. “Try saying that five times fast.”

  Fen walked over and draped his arms around Joel. “Maybe later tonight, once it’s dark, we can fool around out there on the balcony.”

  “Mmm. I like the way your mind works, baby.”

  “I can bend over and you can fuck me right there.”

  * * * *

  Fen stared up into Joel’s eyes. Normally, he had no problems speaking his mind, except in this case.

  He knew what Joel would assume—the evergreen rule that “fucking” meant “fucking around,” not literal fucking.

  Except staring out at that view…what better way to try to power through his hard limit than here, in paradise?

  Joel’s hands skimmed down to Fen’s ass, where he squeezed. “Hope you packed all our toys, baby.”

  “The blue suitcase, with some overflow in the other one.”

  “Excellent.”

  Joel had left the packing up to him. Joel released him after giving Fen’s ass another squeeze and put the blue suitcase on the sofa, where he unzipped it and opened it.

  A low whistle escaped him. “You did good, baby. That’s nearly my whole toybag.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Joel threw two coils of rope onto the bed, followed by a light oak paddle, a little wider and thicker than a ruler, making it stingy as fuck. “Time for a warm-up. You know how I want you. Cuffs and collar. Day collar on.”

  Fen set his glasses on the dr
esser and finished stripping, toeing off his sneakers and adding his shorts and briefs to the sofa. By the time he was ready, Joel had stripped and turned on the TV, the volume low, putting it on the Weather Channel for background noise. He’d also closed the sliders and turned on the AC.

  Fen’s cock was hard and ready for play by the time he finished buckling on his ankle cuffs. Joel smiled, the narrow, evil smile of the sadist.

  The smile that always made Fen’s cock throb, the way it was throbbing now.

  Joel started tying him, nothing fancy, just securing his hands behind his back and wrapping his legs to make it harder to kick and struggle.

  With that finished to Joel’s satisfaction, he sat on the end of the bed and manhandled Fen over his lap, head to the left.

  Something else he loved about Joel—his strength, his ability to make him feel small and helpless even as he felt cherished, loved, and cared for.

  It was his utter trust in his husband that allowed him to let go to him like this.

  Ask.

  Him.

  But he couldn’t make himself say the words.

  Besides, Joel started off with barehanded spanking, quickly driving Fen down into subspace. His cock rubbed against Joel’s bare thigh, smearing pre-cum all over both of them in the process. Especially when Joel would pause and reach under Fen to stroke his cock for him, play with his balls, drive him nearly insane with lust before another round of spanking.

  Fen wasn’t even aware of it when Joel switched out to using the paddle. At some point, Fen became aware the impacts were stingier and hurty in the good ways, and he checked out again.

  This was what he loved about playing with Joel, the ability to completely unplug from life, turn himself over to his husband, and know that, no matter what, Joel wouldn’t harm him.

  Hurt him?

  Absolutely, and in all the deliciously good ways.

  Joel had tied Fen so he could still bend his knees, so once he finished with the spanking part of the festivities, Joel set him on the floor, kneeling there at the perfect height to receive a hard and fast face-fucking from Joel that left both of them moaning when the man exploded.