Side by Side: A Paranormal MMM Daddy/little Romance (Forest Edge Book 2)

by Alexis Woods

  “Daddy,” Dylan whined.

  “Go get in the bath, Dylan. We’ll be in in a minute.” When Dylan didn’t move, Christian’s hand tightened on Brian’s shoulder. “Now, Dylan.”

  “Yes, Daddy,” Dylan responded meekly. He quietly stood and walked into the bathroom. “Ooo, bubbles,” was followed by a splash as Dylan got into the tub.

  Brian wondered if he could drown his stupid brain. He ground his forehead into Christian’s leg.

  “Hey, kit. Come on and sit up. Let me see you.” Christian tucked his fingers under Brian’s chin, tickling his jaw to get him to raise his head.

  Reluctantly, Brian lifted up, his spine pinging from the stretch. His knees ached from all the kneeling, so he shifted to sit on his butt, but kept his gaze averted. “Do you want me to go?”

  “No, kit, no. I don’t want you to leave. I want you here, in my life and in my bed. You’ve had a place in my heart for a while now, you’re just moving from the friend place to something deeper.” Christian inched closer, spreading his legs to put Brian in between. He wrapped his arms around Brian and hugged him to his chest.

  Brian leaned his temple against Christian’s collarbone, soaking in the warmth radiating from the alpha’s body. He breathed in the alluring musk Christian exuded. A mix of nuts and strong spices. He’d bathe in it if he could, definitely roll to his back and show his belly.

  Something deeper. The wealth of underlying meaning in those two words staggered him. Brian wanted to snatch it up, hold it close, tuck it into a small compartment in his heart and never let it out. Except maybe to admire it, adore it, and lavish it with a love of his own. He needed to nurture it into not only something deeper, but something long-lasting. Something forever. Did Christian want forever?

  Goddess, if he did, then all of Brian’s wishes would come true. He’d been like Rapunzel in his upstairs bedroom, waiting at the railing for his true love to come save him. He didn’t have the hair, but he had bedsheets he’d gladly tie in knots. Brian chuckled under his breath at the images making merry behind his closed eyes.

  “Feeling better, kit?” Christian’s hold tightened a smidge.

  “Yes, sir.” Brian answered truthfully. He’d needed to hear that Christian had feelings for him, more than as just a friend or a friend-with-benefits. He turned over to kneel between Christian’s legs. Christian wore a gentle smile as he palmed Brian’s cheeks, guiding him forward into a sweet kiss.

  “Good. Stand and help an old man up.”

  Brian rose and hauled Christian upright. “You okay, sir?” he asked when Christian groaned theatrically. No matter how dramatic, pain was pain, and he’d nursed Christian through a few back spasms and ankle sprains.

  “I’m good, just stiff.” Christian rolled his eyes. Brian liked the twinkling delight he saw in them. “Get in the tub, kit.” Exasperation mixed with fondness, but it was something deeper, and Brian loved it.

  Chapter 19

  Dylan

  Dylan sat in the tub as quietly as he could, listening to Christian and Brian. He was a little jealous of the Daddy-time Brian was getting, but he supposed he couldn’t be too upset. He’d gotten off earlier, fucked and sucked.

  Sweet Mother, he hadn’t expected their scene in the kitchen to go the way it had, but what a way to go! Being in the middle of that foxy sandwich had been incredible. Brian’s mouth had been perfect, and Daddy’s cock… Dylan sighed with satisfaction. His ass stung a little, but the warm water was soothing.

  What he couldn’t figure out was why Brian was so upset. Brian seemed mad at him, but Dylan couldn’t figure out why, especially since he was the one who helped Brian and Christian finally connect. Yes, Dylan was involved. In the middle, so to speak. He snickered softly, but his humor faded when he realized maybe therein lies the problem. Brian was probably pissed he was there at all. He’d wanted Christian and resented the fact that Dylan was contracted to Daddy.

  He thought they’d gotten past that problem, though. Dylan absently created tiny waves around him, imagining them as tsunamis come to smash their troubles away. He’d already had conversations with Brian about their dynamic, but obviously they hadn’t been enough. Not if Brian thought it’d be better if he left. Dylan didn’t want Brian to leave. He truly liked the huge, submissive fox-shifter.

  Brian was sweet and kind and friendly, plus his cooking skills were top-notch. He was Dylan’s polar opposite in size, shape, mannerisms, and dominance. None of that mattered to him. He liked Brian the way he was, except for this streak of self-doubt the man seemed to be drowning in.

  “Is there room for me?” Brian sat on the edge of the tub, Christian standing behind him. He dipped his hand into the water, swirling a tiny whirlpool into existence.

  Dylan curled his fingers around Brian’s and tugged. “Plenty. You want front or back?”

  “Front, but maybe—”

  “That’s fine.” Dylan grinned, spreading his legs, elated as the doubting expression Brian wore faded. “Come on in, sweets.”

  Brian laughed, swinging his legs over the edge and slowly lowering them one at a time into the hot water. “Sweets?” An adorable blush bloomed on his cheeks.

  “Yup. You taste good. Imma gonna eat you up.” Dylan made grabby hands, then took hold of Brian’s waist as he settled into the bathtub. He even smacked a quick kiss to Brian’s ass as it passed him by.

  The tub wasn’t as big as it looked, unfortunately, and Brian had to bend his knees to fit. It would have been better to have Brian behind him, but Dylan wouldn’t waste this opportunity to have Brian in his arms. Plus, they still owed Brian an orgasm.

  Christian shucked his shirt, pants and socks, leaving him in just his heather grey boxers. Dylan wasted no time in perusing all of Daddy’s exposed skin as the alpha fox gathered a plastic measuring cup, a washcloth and body wash, and stashed them on the floor at his feet.

  “We’re going to make a mess,” Christian mused, “but I don’t care. Both of you lean forward but tilt your heads back. I’ll get your hair wet.”

  The quick wet down Christian gave them impressed Dylan. Daddy poured cupfuls of water over their hair, using the dry washcloth to block their eyes. Afterwards, he soaped up the cloth and ran it over their torsos and arms before rinsing them off. It was perfunctory at best, but still had enough of a caring Daddy edge to it.

  Meanwhile, Dylan played with Brian’s body. He massaged Brian’s back and chest, plucked at his nipples, carded his fingertips through the hair at Brian’s groin, and teased around his cock. Peering around Brian’s shoulder, he could see how hard Brian was, his cock buoyed by the water.

  “Daddy, can I play with my toy?” Dylan asked sweetly, pointing to Brian’s erection.

  “Of course, darling, but don’t make a mess of the water. I’ll be upset if I have to wash you all over again.”

  Brian’s cheeks darkened. “Don’t I get a choice?”

  “Uh-huh,” Dylan said, nuzzling behind Brian’s ear as he snaked a hand around Brian’s waist to grip his cock. “You get to decide hard and fast or slow and steady.”

  “Fuck,” Brian breathed, tipping his head back to lean against Dylan. “I wanna come, but I don’t want to rush either.”

  Christian chuckled, walking his fingers from Brian’s knee towards his groin. “Slow it is.”

  Dylan’s heart raced with a surge of adrenaline. Tag-team Brian! Fuck, yes. Gonna blow his ever-loving mind. “Yes,” he hissed, pressing his lips to the side of Brian’s neck before placing a line of kisses intermixed with light bites pretty much anywhere he could reach without giving up his grip on Brian’s thick cock.

  He suckled on Brian’s earlobe and teased the soft flesh with his tongue, relishing each soft moan he pulled from the man in his arms. He peeked to see what torture Christian plied on their hapless victim—a very willing victim. Brian braced his arms on the sides of the tub, allowing him to thrust his hips up, pushing his cock through the ring Dylan’s fingers made. Dylan closed and opened the circle incremental
ly, varying his hold to Brian’s vexation as told to him with an anguished cry.

  “Come on, Dyl. Please,” Brian begged.

  “Me?” Dylan replied innocently. “What about Daddy? What’s he doing?”

  “G-goddess…” Brian stuttered, gasping and panting after Christian twisted his hands. The water around Christian’s arm surged in angry eddies.

  Dylan preened. Incoherent sub was an awesome turn-on. Plus, knowing he’d ensured Brian didn’t leave the tub without being turned inside out made his own dick twitch. He rocked his hips forward, gaining some measure of relief from the pressure of Brian’s body against his cock.

  “No, little bird.” Daddy’s quick admonishment stopped Dylan cold. “This is not for you.”

  “Sorry, Daddy.”

  Christian stared at him a moment, before returning his gaze to the water. “Brian deserves this reward for being a good boy. He made you feel good before in the kitchen, right?”

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  “And he cooked us a delicious dinner, yes?”

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Focus on our boy.”

  Brian pushed backwards under the onslaught of Daddy’s movements, and their fox’s strangled moan almost pushed Dylan over the edge without even a touch to his dick. The delicious sound reverberated from Brian’s body into Dylan’s chest, and the tight grasp on his thighs would undoubtedly leave marks he’d wear proudly.

  Dylan’s gut squeezed and his asshole twinged as he watched Christian finger-fuck Brian. He could feel the phantom remembrance of Daddy’s fingers and cock in his own ass, and he wanted Daddy inside him again, soon, but not tonight. Tonight was for Brian. They needed to make sure he felt cared for. Wanted.

  Brian’s hesitance, indecision, and self-doubt bothered Dylan. He’d make curing Brian’s apprehension his first priority tomorrow. For the moment, he’d do as Daddy said; he needed to focus on Brian.

  Dylan squirmed, shifting lower in the tub, and lifting his feet to corral Brian’s knees. He forced Brian to open his legs wider, exposing him to Daddy’s attentive gaze. Brian’s shuddering breath rattled his body, his jerking hips pushing his cock through Dylan’s hold. Brian’s movements caused his lower back to rub against Dylan’s cock. Dylan tipped his head forward, curling in and trying desperately to stem the tide of his rising pleasure.

  He left off plucking at Brian’s nipples, sliding his hand upwards to lay loosely on Brian’s throat. Dylan dug his fingertips into the soft skin, dragging a ragged groan from Brian that vibrated against his palm.

  “Goddess!” Brian howled, his cock pulsing in Dylan’s grip. Glossy strands of cum flew upwards, landing on Daddy’s arm and dribbling down onto Dylan’s knuckles.

  “Fuck!” Dylan shouted, his own orgasm unexpectedly crashing over him when Brian had pushed harder against his dick. “Fuck, fuck,” Dylan continued to mumble as he crested and then subsided to a sleepy afterglow.

  He quietly chuckled as he lay holding a still quivering Brian in his arms. Daddy would be pissed, but Dylan would take his punishment. He deserved it, and damn if it wasn’t worth it.

  Chapter 20

  Brian

  Brian stared down at his cock encased in Dylan’s fist, watching droplets of his cum slip into the water. He winced slightly when Christian eased his fingers free from Brian’s ass. The blank expression Christian wore boded nothing good.

  Oh, shit. He tensed, every muscle locking. Gone was his relaxed state of post-ecstasy. Christian had said not to come and not only had he, but Dylan, too.

  “I’m sorry.” Brian hung his head, drawing his knees up and huddling in on himself. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

  Dylan gave him a weak pat on the back. “No need to be sorry. That was fucking amazing.”

  Brian shook off Dylan’s attempt to hug him.

  “Hey,” Dylan squawked.

  Brian ignored Dylan, bracing his hands on the tub’s sides and pushing himself up and out of the bath. The water rushed from his body to splash Dylan, Christian, and much of the floor. He grabbed a towel and stumbled away from them, running for the stairs and the safety of his bedroom.

  Stupid, stupid, stupid. How could you be so stupid, Brian? He banged the heels of his hands against his forehead, berating and scolding, and pointedly not listening to Christian and Dylan on the other side of the door, knocking loudly.

  “Go away!” he yelled. “Leave me alone!”

  The knocking ceased, but Brian took little solace in the silence because what he heard instead broke his heart.

  “What happened, Daddy?” Dylan shouted. “Why did he run away again? What did you do?”

  Slaps on skin and Christian grunted. Brian sympathetically felt each one.

  “Hey, hey, come here,” Christian said to Dylan, but Brian still followed the order, stepping closer to the door, and leaning his head on the wood. “It was what I didn’t do, darling. At least, I think that’s what happened. I told you both not to come in the tub and you did anyway. I didn’t stop you, and I didn’t praise or scold right away either. I gave no feedback, and while I was thinking about what I wanted to do, Brian got scared again.”

  Brian nodded. If Christian had said something, done something, other than look the way he did. There’d been no joy, no anger, just…nothing, and Brian had freaked. He’d taken that lack of emotion to heart. No one had feelings for him. Oh, they might at the beginning, but once they got to know him they’d discover his secret fears, his timid nature, and exploit him. He’d work himself weary covering others’ shifts because he wanted to be the nice guy, the one everyone liked. In the end, they’d made a mockery of him.

  He couldn’t bear to have the same happen again. Brian loved living at Forest Edge and working for Eli, both at Sly Fox and at his home. He trusted Eli, and even though he hadn’t sworn allegiance to the alpha fox, Eli gave Brian a position in his household to watch over his most precious possession. Not that Ryan was a possession; his daddies cherished, adored, and loved him. Ryan had become a close friend, a best friend, someone Brian hadn’t had in forever, not since elementary school. His alpha friends abandoned him in middle school when they progressed in their dominance, leaving him to languish as an outcast. He’d fallen into the nowhere zone.

  In Forest Edge, Brian had a glimpse of hope. Everyone he’d met had been kind and respectful. He asked that they not show him any preference just because he has an alpha’s stature, insisting they start him as any newbie would. He’d learned from the ground up, even relearning jobs that he’d done before. Brian had earned every single one of his pay raises. All without anyone harassing or bullying him.

  He’d remade himself within his new community. How was it these two men were dredging up all the insecurities he thought he’d finally buried?

  On the other side of the door, Dylan sniffled. “How do we make him less scared, Daddy?”

  “We need to talk to him and convince him he’s wanted and loved,” Christian replied.

  “I tried, Daddy. Maybe the problem is me? Maybe I should go so he can stay and be with you.”

  “No!” Brian slapped the door. “Don’t you dare leave. This is my fault. My stupid head.”

  Nails scratched on the wood. “Brian,” Dylan whined, “please let us in.” The locked doorknob rattled. “Please.”

  Brian needed a moment or two to think. “Just, give me a sec, okay.”

  “But—”

  “Hush, little bird. Let’s respect Brian’s wishes. He needs a few minutes. We can give him that, right?”

  “Yes, Daddy, but I’m not going anywhere.” There was a thump from the door. Brian’s lips twitched, picturing Dylan bumping his back against the wood and then sliding down to sit on the floor. Their little bird was a handful, for sure.

  Could Dylan be theirs? For that matter, could he be theirs? These ping-ponging questions weren’t doing him any good. Needing to put the next few minutes to efficient use, he snatched up the closest clothes and threw them on, then zipped to his bedside tab
le and grabbed out his notebook and pencil. Keeping the small notebook for his rambling midnight thoughts had been an idea Ryan gave him when he complained one day about how his mind wandered some nights and would cause him insomnia. He’d have to remember to thank Ryan when he next saw him.

  Brian tapped the pencil on the pad’s edge. Pros and cons didn’t feel right, but it was definitely the easiest type of list to create. He started but stopped almost immediately because his heart knew the pros far outweighed the cons. Everything pointed to staying in Forest Edge, living with Christian, and being with him and Dylan. Cons caused by him leaving meant enduring with a broken heart.

  It was his insecurities that left him feeling lost. He wanted to be treated as an equal, but how could he when all he wanted to do was kneel? Did that make him less than? He wanted to create a home and care for them. Cook, clean, do the laundry, serve them…

  Brian underlined the word three times.

  Goddess, was that the answer? It made sense. He’d always enjoyed and excelled at the jobs that required some sort of customer service. He exchanged the notebook for his tablet, turning it on and opening a new search window. A few taps on the keypad, and he had his answer. Brian groaned, berating himself. You really are the worst kind of stupid to not have realized this about yourself. The more he read, the more he connected with the definition provided.

  He identified with those who loved to cook, who took pleasure in cleaning and maintaining the household. Many comments by submissives included servicing their master—or masters, in his case—sexually, assuming that was part of their contract. The only part he didn’t connect with was the part about punishments, although not every relationship or contract included them. He’d taken some verbal abuse growing up, and more on those jobs with assholes for coworkers, and while it hadn’t been physical, it had been emotional.