Brave Boy (Perfect Boys Book 2)

by K. M. Neuhold

  He nods slowly, his eyelids already drooping. “Th-thank you.”

  I want to lean forward and kiss his forehead, but I resist. I’m fully decided now on the matter of the masquerade. My boy needs me. A virtual Daddy isn’t enough; he needs someone to make sure he’s getting enough sleep, to take care of all the little things he never thinks of. No, he doesn’t need someone: he needs me…and I need him.

  I don’t linger, as much as I’d like to stay and make sure he’s sleeping soundly. But I made a promise to watch the store, and I can’t have customers going un-helped when he’s counting on me.

  I switch off the light and slip out of the room quietly, leaving my sweet boy to get the rest he needs.

  Emerson

  I blink awake, groggy but well rested. There are no windows in the small back room, so there’s no way of knowing how long I slept or what time of day it is. For all I know a zombie apocalypse broke out while I napped. An image flashes through my mind of Kiernan standing guard outside the door, fighting off the flesh-eating undead, determined to make sure I get some decent rest.

  I smile at the thought and drag myself into a sitting position, immediately missing the scent of Kiernan that was surrounding me while I used his suit jacket as a pillow. A small amount of guilt niggles at the pit of my stomach, but Daddy has insisted over and over that it’s okay.

  I unfold the suit jacket and frown at the wrinkles that formed in it while I slept, not to mention the embarrassing drool spot that I left. Fuck, I’m sure this thing cost as much as the monthly rent on the bookshop. Not that I can’t afford to buy him a new jacket. I’m not as well-off as he is, but I’m not exactly hurting either. I just don’t go flaunting it around. All I need to be happy is a dozen unicorn T-shirts, the book shop, and a roof over my head. And Daddy, of course. I smile to myself, thinking about Daddy as I slip into the bathroom to wash my face and make sure I don’t have total bed head from my nap.

  When I slip back out into the store, I find Sterling behind the counter, ringing up a customer.

  “Hey there, sleepy head,” he greets me once the customer leaves. “Imagine my surprise when I got in an hour ago and found Kiernan helping a customer, with you nowhere to be found.” His tone is teasing, but I grimace, not even wanting to guess what he’s thinking right about now. Not that it would take a genius to figure out the conclusion he’s drawing.

  “H-he w-w-was being nice,” I defend with a shrug, smoothing my hand over the silky material of the jacket draped over my arm.

  “Uh-huh.” He’s clearly not buying it. But it really is the truth. “He said he’ll get his jacket back later.”

  I nod and glance around fruitlessly for somewhere to hang it before deciding it’s already wrinkled anyway and stuffing it under the cash register. After that, I pull out my phone with the intention to text Kiernan to thank him for earlier. Instead, I get sidetracked by a message from Daddy that’s waiting for me.

  Daddy: Hey there, Brave Boy. There’s something I want to ask you…

  Daddy: There’s an event I was planning to attend this Saturday, and I’m sorely in need of a date.

  My heart thunders at the implication of what he’s saying. He’s been patient, more than patient. We’ve been chatting for over a month now. There’s no doubt we have a connection, that I trust him, that I’m falling for him, maybe I’ve already fallen. The question is, am I ready to take the risk of meeting him? What if I’m too awkward? What if I get so nervous that I can’t get two words out? What if every perfect thing between us is just an illusion?

  I nibble on my bottom lip, digging deep to find that well of courage Daddy is so sure I have inside.

  It’s more than just needing to be brave though. I glance at the suit jacket haphazardly stashed behind the counter. As long as Daddy is a mystery on the other side of a screen, there’s a tiny chance he could be Kiernan.

  Daddy: It’s a masquerade if that helps. You could wear a mask the whole time, protect your secret identity.

  A laugh bursts from my lips, calming some of my nerves. He’s probably not Kiernan, I’ve known that from the start, but whoever he is, he’s still the caring, patient, extremely sexy Daddy I’ve been falling for. It’s time I finally put aside this crush I have and give him my all.

  BraveBoy: I’m not Batman. I’m just…ok, so the thing is, I have a stutter…

  Daddy: Okay.

  BraveBoy: Like, when I get nervous, I can hardly get my words out. When I’m not so nervous, it’s not that bad, maybe just a little annoying to listen to, but you’re not going to think it’s sexy.

  Daddy: I can’t imagine a thing about you I won’t find absolutely perfect.

  He seems so sure. I lean against the counter, staring at my phone while I try to make a decision.

  Daddy: I don’t want to pressure you, or rush things, but I can’t stop dreaming of holding you. I want you in my arms, in my bed, filling up all the drab corners of my life. Come to the party.

  BraveBoy: Okay, I’ll come.

  A rush of nerves and excitement washes over me. I just agreed to meet Daddy. In just a few days I’ll know what he looks like, what kind of cologne he wears…or maybe he’s more of a clean, natural scent type of man. Either way, I’ll know soon.

  Daddy: Oh, my brave boy, you just made my whole day. My whole WEEK.

  BraveBoy: I’m excited. What should I wear? And I guess I need the rest of the details…

  Daddy: Leave it all to me. I’ll send something over, and I’ll have a car pick you up on Saturday at 6 pm to take you to the party.

  BraveBoy: Sounds perfect. I can’t wait.

  Daddy: Neither can I.

  “Someone’s lookin’ awfully happy,” Sterling says, leaning over the counter and grinning at me. I shove my phone back into my pocket, feeling my cheeks heat, unable to keep the smile off my face.

  “Daddy invited m-me to a p-p-party this Saturday.”

  His face lights up. “The costume party?”

  “He said m-m-mm-masquerade.”

  Sterling waves his hand dismissively. “That’s just a fancy word for costume party.”

  “D-does that mean you’re going?” I’m not sure if the thought of meeting the man I’ve been chatting with for months is more or less intimidating with my friends there. Oh god, does that mean Kiernan will be there too?

  “Everybody’s goin’. I got this real fancy peacock mask and a teal suit I’m gonna wear.”

  “S-s-sss-sounds awesome.”

  “It’s gonna be. I’m so excited you’re comin’. Why don’t you come over, and we can get ready together?”

  I give a sharp shake of my head. “Daddy s-said he’d send a car for me to my place.”

  “Okay, we’ll come to you then. Nolan isn’t in charge of this event for a change, so we were gonna get ready together anyway. We can all come to your place.”

  “Okay.” I grin again, getting more excited about the idea by the second.

  I spend the rest of the day with a huge smile on my lips, daydreaming a million different scenarios for Saturday. Something tells me I’m going to be up late writing each and every one into a new short story. Good thing Kiernan insisted I take a nap.

  As I jog up the steps to my apartment several hours later, I find another present waiting for me. My cock perks up immediately, remembering the last two gifts Daddy sent. This box is significantly larger than the other two, so I’m not sure if I should be nervous or excited about what could be inside.

  I pick it up and step inside, kicking off my shoes and carrying the box into my kitchen so I can set it down and open it up. An excited squeal escapes me when I reach inside to find a basket full of bath products from glittery unicorn bombs to vanilla-scented bubble bath. There are candles, loofahs, and even an inflatable pillow to attach to the tub as a head rest. I am in bath heaven. A folded piece of paper catches my attention.

  Brave Boy,

  I’ve been imagining pampering you in my large tub, but then I thought, why wait? Relax and
enjoy yourself.

  Until Saturday

  XOXO,

  Daddy

  I grin, holding the piece of paper close to my chest. I hope the man is ready for the blowjob of a lifetime when we meet because he seriously has it coming.

  I put all of the items back into the basket and carry it to my bathroom. I start the water and get everything set up—lighting the candles, adding some of the goodies to the water, attaching the pillow to the side of the tub—and then I snap a picture to send to Daddy with a thank you message.

  I groan happily when I slip into the warm, bubbly water.

  If this is what having a Daddy is like, I can’t believe I waited this long. I just hope he’s as amazing in person…and that he kisses as good as I’ve been imagining.

  I’ll know in a few days.

  Chapter 13

  Emerson

  My door buzzes, and I hurry to let my friends in. My stomach has been dancing with a combination of impatience and terror all morning long, and now I’m sure that at least half my nausea is because I haven’t had a thing to eat all day.

  Sterling, Nolan, and Gannon all file into my apartment carrying garment bags. Nolan has another bag as well—I’m assuming for makeup.

  “S-s-ss-sorry my place is s-small,” I apologize as they start to take over the living room with their things.

  “It’s perfect,” Nolan assures me, unzipping his suit bag to reveal a pristine white suit.

  As promised, Daddy sent over a box last night, but I haven’t opened it yet. While the rest of them pull out their suits, I ease the lid off the large box to find a black eye mask with delicate beading, along with a solid black three-piece suit and black button-up shirt. There’s a note in the box that I pull out to read.

  Brave Boy,

  I couldn’t find you a Batman costume. I hope this will do.

  XOXO,

  Daddy

  I grin, folding the note up carefully. The other three are undressing shamelessly right here in the living room, so I follow suit, stripping out of my clothes and putting on the suit. It fits like a dream, and the fabric is impossibly soft against my skin.

  “That is gorgeous,” Nolan comments, reaching over to feel the fabric and practically purring. “It’s expensive.”

  Heat rises in my cheeks, and I shrug. It’s a nice suit, that’s true, but all I really care about tonight is finally meeting Daddy in person. I could go naked or in a million-dollar suit; it wouldn’t make a difference either way as long as Daddy likes me, as long as he wants to keep me.

  All three of them look incredible in their suits as well. Sterling’s is a striking teal, just like he said it would be, and Gannon is dressed all in red. He has the top few buttons of his dress shirt undone, exposing the rough patch of scaring that extends along the side of his neck and down to his chest.

  “Don’t I have a handsome date?” Nolan preens when he sees me looking at Gannon.

  Gannon grunts. “Not a date.”

  “Oh, hush, you know what I mean.”

  Nolan’s mask is white, just like his suit, and he attaches a halo to the top of his head as well, contrasting with the red, horned mask Gannon puts on.

  I slip my own mask into place, and Nolan studies me. “You know what you need?”

  “W-w-what?” I ask.

  Without answering, he opens his other bag and starts rifling through it. After a few seconds, he pulls out a tube of lipstick, uncapping it and showing me the deep red color. “You have a gorgeous mouth; this will make it pop. Your man won’t be able to resist you.”

  I’m not sure about all that, but I take the lipstick anyway. It certainly can’t hurt. It’s a costume party after all.

  “So who do you think he is?” Sterling asks conversationally while Nolan applies some more makeup of his own, and Sterling messes around with his hair in front of my hallway mirror.

  “Who?” I ask.

  “Your Daddy. Do you think you know him? Or is he a total mystery?”

  More nervous excitement dances through my stomach, and I think back to that first night we started talking. I thought it might be Kiernan, but he already has another M4M profile. That hasn’t stopped a small part of me from wondering for the past few months though. Some people have two profiles, don’t they? And his voice sounds so familiar…

  I don’t want to get stuck on one idea though. If he’s not Kiernan, he’s still Daddy.

  “I d-don’t know.”

  “How exciting,” Nolan says, his own lips a gorgeous ruby color now, his cheeks sparkling with glitter. In spite of Gannon’s statement about it not being a date, he can’t seem to stop looking at the man.

  The alarm on my phone pings, letting me know it’s six o’clock and my car should be downstairs, so we all head down together.

  An excited sound escapes me when I realize it’s not just a car; Daddy sent a limo.

  “Looks like you’ve found a good one.” Nolan waggles his eyebrows, and we all pile in.

  I fidget in my seat, tugging on my lapels and crossing and uncrossing my legs during the excruciatingly long and yet somehow impossibly short drive to the venue.

  “It’s gonna be great,” Sterling assures me, putting a hand on my knee. “He’ll love you.”

  My heart is hammering so hard against my ribcage I’m surprised it doesn’t crack something, and my hands are starting to sweat. “I’m n-n-n-nn…” I huff in frustration when the word gets hopelessly stuck. “I w-w-w-wwww…” I shoot Sterling a helpless look as if to say see, I can’t even manage to get a sentence out right now.

  “If you’re too nervous to talk, use your mouth for somethin’ else,” he suggests with a wicked grin, startling a laugh out of me.

  He’s right though. I already know Daddy. We’ve texted for hours on end. I know him better than I’ve known anyone in my life, and he knows me. We don’t need to talk; we need to meet.

  I nod and take a deep breath. Everything is going to be fine.

  My phone vibrates, and I reach into my pocket to check it. There’s a message from Daddy waiting for me.

  Daddy: I’ll be waiting just inside the entrance in a navy suit and a black mask. I’m holding a rose, so you won’t miss me.

  BraveBoy: Okay, we’re pulling up to the door now. I’ll see you in a minute.

  The limo slows to a stop, and I drag in several more deep breaths, holding them in my lungs and hoping like hell they’ll calm me.

  It’s now or never.

  Kiernan

  I can’t think of a single time in my life that I’ve ever been this nervous. In college, I went through an extreme sports phase: I jumped out of a helicopter and then skied down a mountain. Well, that was the plan anyway. I botched the landing and ended up in the hospital for over a month with a dozen broken bones and a severe concussion. That moment right before I jumped to my near death was far less intimidating than watching the door for Emerson’s arrival.

  What if he’s disappointed when he realizes that I’m the man he’s been talking to? What if he’s pissed that I didn’t tell him? I double check that my tie is straight and my hair is tamed, keeping my eyes fixed on the door while I fidget.

  “It’s going to be fine,” Barrett assures me, putting his hand on my shoulder and giving it a squeeze. I didn’t tell him the whole truth, instead letting him in on the fact that I invited the boy I’ve been speaking to from the app. Soon, everything will be out in the open, and Emerson and I will be able to move forward, building a relationship together. At least that’s what I hope.

  “Mm,” I grunt in response. He doesn’t know it will be fine, but I appreciate his optimism.

  “He’s right,” Alden agrees, standing on my other side. “It’s going to be—”

  I don’t have the chance to find out what he thinks it’s going to be because at that moment, Gannon and Nolan walk through the door, arm in arm, dressed like a matching set—an angel and a devil—and Alden’s words falter.

  I don’t have time to give any thought to his
reaction to the two men because Emerson is right behind them, dressed in the suit and mask I sent over. I half expected to see the unicorn T-shirt underneath the suit jacket, but he put on the dress shirt that I sent as well.

  He casts his eyes around for a moment, sweeping them over me before continuing his search. My heart flails wildly, and my hand tightens reflexively around the rose I’m holding. I startle when one of the thorns bites into my palm, forcing me to loosen my grip.

  Emerson frowns and then returns his attention to me. Barrett has pulled his boy away and Alden seems to have slipped away as well, leaving me standing alone, trying my best to appear more confident than I feel.

  He drags his gaze over me, this time slowly enough that it lands on the rose. His breathtakingly red lips part in silent shock, his eyes snapping to mine. It’s time.

  I square my shoulders and take a step forward, holding the rose out toward him. “Hey there, Brave Boy. I’m glad you made it.”

  His chest hitches with a heavy breath, and he continues to stare at me. While a masquerade seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, I’m wishing now I could see his expression fully. Is he angry? Disappointed? Or simply stunned?

  “Emerson, I—” I’m about to apologize and suggest we go somewhere to talk, but before I can get the words out, he’s closing the space between us and launching himself into my arms.

  My heart explodes into a gallop, and I manage to catch him without stumbling.

  “Daddy,” he whispers, a smile spreading over his cherry red lips. The word sends a bolt of heat through me, everything in the universe seeming to align for this unbearably perfect moment. Our mouths are drawn together like magnets, his lips parting as soon as we connect. It’s slow at first, a gentle introduction that we’ve both been waiting entirely too long for. He yields control easily, just as perfect in person as he’s been in all of our chats and calls, so sweetly submissive and eager to please.