Making His Stand

by Thianna Durston

  “It’s exciting and overwhelming,” James said as he sat down. Zippo sat between his legs and waited for his part of James’s lunch. “How are your plans going for your spanking booth?”

  “Fantastic.” Ryan’s eyes twinkled. “I thought I would have to build something, but turns out there are several gazebos at the corners where the fairways and the smaller lanes meet and Kendrick’s offered me one of those. So I won’t have to build anything. Just have my supplies ready.”

  They chatted about the coming Faire and it was interesting to hear about the previous year’s Faire from Ryan’s standpoint. “It was a lot smaller than the one this year. But they still did an amazing job. All of the shop owners are coming back for this season and there are tons more. I’m excited to be fully involved. Last year I delivered food to the shop owners and ran errands for Kendrick. And while I’ll be doing the food delivery, I’ll have my own booth. Makes me feel like I’ve graduated kink kindergarten.”

  James laughed at the idea. “That’s not a bad idea,” he said as he handed Zippo a fry. “I feel overwhelmed with all the terms I don’t know. Alec and Slate gave me a rundown of the basics like SSC and RACK, but I find it confusing.”

  “No kidding. I did my own research before I told my dad I wanted to know more. While logically I can understand the stance behind risk-aware consensual kink, I’m fully safe, sane, and consensual. Dad says that could change as I’m starting out young.” Ryan shrugged. “I do love the premise, though, of letting people do what they want as long as they are aware of the risks involved.”

  Before James could respond, a nice voice with a husky edge spoke up behind him. “Heya, Ryan.” The accent was one of the British ones and he turned around to see a tall, thin man with close-cut white blond hair and dark green eyes. He glanced at James and smiled. “And who’s this?”

  “Hey, Mark. This is James, Alec’s sub.”

  Mark held out a hand. “Nice to meet you, James. I’m Mark Able.” He gestured at the table. “Mind if I sit?”

  James moved over, as did Zippo, and Mark glanced underneath the table. “Well, look who we have here. Hello, little beastie.”

  “That’s Zippo,” James said.

  Mark was nice, but he had a certain aura around him that told James he was probably a Dom. “So are you ready for shibari lessons?” he asked Ryan once he started eating.

  “I am. Just let me know what days and I’ll be there.”

  “Good.” Mark nodded. “Once the Faire starts up, we’ll have to hedge it, but until then, what about Thursday nights?”

  “Sounds good. Oh, James was wondering about religious kink,” Ryan said after taking a drink of lemonade. “He’s new to the lifestyle and I figured you’d be the best man to explain it.”

  Mark grinned and winked at James. “Consider that everything probably has a kink or fetish attached to it. Religion is just another facet. It totally turns me the fuck on. So I go by Father Mark at the Faire. Kendrick gave me an entire stage for it, for which I’m grateful. Not many people are as aware of it as other kinks.”

  “How do you turn religion into kink?” James asked, still finding that confusing.

  “There are as many ways as people, I suppose. But one of my favorites is confession.” Mark’s grin turned wicked. “Get those men and women on their knees and make them service me to repent for their sins. It’s hot.”

  “It really is,” Ryan said. “I never would have believed it but at the end of the season last year, he did a demo. Holy shit. When you jacked off all over that sub, absolving her of whatever it was she’d confessed, I almost came in my pants.”

  Mark laughed. “Maybe I should have you come to the Altar and confess this summer.”

  Ryan grinned and shook his head. “No thanks. But I might take lessons from that too.”

  While shocking, there was something incredibly amazing about how open and honest everyone was. A strange feeling that had been growing the last couple days filled him and he realized what it was. He belonged. Even though he was still bumbling along and hadn’t done much besides be fucked by Alec—which was the most amazing physical experience he had ever had—being a part of the conversation and treated as one of them, made him feel like he belonged. It was such a new feeling, he was slightly floored by it.

  “So what about you?” Mark asked and tapped him on the leg. “Check with Alec, if you’re interested. I’d love to show you how fucking hot religion can be.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Mark nodded and went back to eating while James figured he probably wouldn’t. While the concept was fascinating and he might want to observe at some point, he was neither interested in serving another Dom nor learning about religious kink. It didn’t sound hot to him.

  “So is it true you’re going to do Sunday service?” Ryan asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

  Mark nodded. “Yep. Be sure and bring out your lightning rods to the Altar that day. Because everyone’s going to be speaking in tongues… or tonguing things, anyway.”

  James gasped, somewhat shocked and highly amused. His family would keel over in horror at the irreverence. Strangely enough, that made him like Mark all the more. “Were you from a religious background by chance?” he asked.

  His shoulder shaking in laughter, Mark finished his food and nodded. “Oh yeah. Dad’s a minister back home. He prays for me daily. Hourly at times, probably. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with him. I’ll admit, sometimes I wonder if he gets off on his holier-than-thou sermons. If you ever come to my Sunday sermon, you’ll see a bit of my father come out in me.” He shrugged. “Though I don’t think he’s ever made a parishioner suck his dick to atone for not reading the holy book.” He winked. “Then again, I wouldn’t know.”

  James barked a laugh. That was just so wrong. He loved it.

  “Tell him what the holy book is,” Ryan said, his eyes twinkling.

  “It changes depending on my mood,” Mark said with a nod. “It’s been The Story of O, Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns, and of course the Marquis de Sade’s works have to be read religiously.”

  “Not that fifty whatever book?” James said. He’d heard about it but other than knowing it had fifty in the title and was about BDSM, that was all he knew.

  “Oh, hell no,” Mark said with a grimace. “If anyone’s read that, they have to repent of it right away. They deserve corner time and a whipping for reading such drivel. I make them listen to a reading of one of the Marquis’s works and have them do something lurid.” He grinned. “They quickly learn that horrible book is not kinky.”

  Ryan and Mark got onto a discussion of the Marquis de Sade and James sat and listened. It was definitely like having jumped into the deep end of the pool only to find it was filled with jello instead of water. Part of him didn’t want to listen. The other part was horribly fascinated.

  When he glanced at the clock on the wall and realized his lunch had been up for thirty minutes, he swore and jumped up. “I’m late.”

  Ryan glanced at the clock. “Oh shit. Tell Kendrick it’s my fault.”

  “And mine,” Mark said. Zippo stretched and Mark scratched him as he passed. “It was nice to meet you, James. I’m sure I’ll see more of you now that the rush toward getting the Faire ready is beginning.”

  After putting his tray in the area for dirty dishes, James picked up Zippo and ran toward the office. He was panting as he walked in and almost ran into Kendrick.

  “Whoa,” Kendrick said and held a hand out. “Where’s the fire?” He scratched the top of Zippo’s head.

  “Sorry I’m late. I’ll stay later this afternoon.”

  Kendrick snorted and shook his head. “James, you work too hard. Did you get distracted?” There was amusement in his tone.

  “I was having lunch with Ryan and Mark Able joined us. The conversation was… interesting.”

  His boss laughed. “That’s one way to put it. Don’t worry about the half hour. You get everything done and that’s all I care about. I’ll be g
one the rest of the afternoon as Becca and I are off to Seattle. If anyone swings by, tell them I’ll be back tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Kendrick.”

  James walked into his office, put the gate up, and placed Zippo on the floor. “All right, little guy. Time to get some work in. We’re going over to Alec’s tonight and I kind of hope he’s got other plans besides fucking my ass. Though I have the feeling I’d love it if he did.” He winced as he sat down and watched as Zippo got comfortable on his bed. “You have no idea what I’m saying, which is a good thing. You’re just happy to be loved, petted, and fed.” Zippo wagged his tail and James realized there was a bit of a connection with him too. That was what he wanted. To be loved, petted, and fed. The particulars were different, but the meaning behind them was the same.

  “Alec’s right,” he mused as he entered his password into the computer. “I’m just a pup looking for a home.” He rather hoped he’d found it.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The paper in front of him was scrawled with notes and Alec blinked and stretched his fingers after writing down the last of it. All night long, a toy had been plaguing the edges of his consciousness—a toy made just for James—and he’d wanted to get it down before he forgot it. He’d sent his sub off that morning with an aching ass and a huge grin. Alec had been grinning all morning.

  He leaned back in his chair, took a long sip of coffee, and looked out the window. There was quite a breeze blowing outside. The weatherman stated that Friday and Saturday were going to be spectacular weather. Sunny and in the sixties. It would be a perfect time to take James on a date. Of course the only real way to do that without being excessively cheesy or tactless would be to take him off the island. That would mean a boat trip.

  Two issues plagued that problem. The first was what to do with Zippo. They could take him, he supposed, as he was a tiny dog and they could put him in that shoulder bag James had. But he really wanted the night to be just about the two of them. Which meant they would need a doggie sitter.

  He took another sip of coffee. It wasn’t just about whom he would trust, but who James could trust with Zippo. If James didn’t trust them, their date could go downward fast. Alec definitely didn’t want their date to go belly up because someone lost Zippo. To be honest, it would bother the hell out of him, too. But it would harm James. He loved that little dog like he was… He cocked his head to the side. That dog was practically James’s child. Of course, considering his childhood, Zippo might be the first creature who loved James just for being him.

  Deciding to make a list of suitable people in a moment, he thought about the second issue that would plague their date. James’s sea sickness. There were always over-the-counter medicines he could take. Alec had found that most of those tended to make the user tired. The last thing he wanted was an exhausted James while on their date. No. Perhaps he would have to involve a toy or two. The ideas began to percolate in his head and he grinned. Oh yeah. That might work.

  He opened the closet where he kept the toys he planned to sell at his shop and glanced through the sheaths. They were all too large for James. No matter. He could fashion one easily. He could add a vibrating facet to it which, if he added a remote, would be all sorts of fun. His eyes fell on the vibrating plugs and he knew exactly how he would keep James’s mind off the sea on the way to their date. With one vibration on his dick and another in his ass, neither working synchronously and both going off at odd moments, he would be too intent on the pleasure to care about the waves.

  At least Alec hoped.

  He plunked himself back into his seat and picked up the pen. Time to sketch out the date toy.

  The ringing of his cell barely broke his concentration. “Rowland,” he barked into the receiver as he worked out the last details of James’s sea toy.

  “Well, Sir,” chuckled a low voice that practically dripped velvet. “I thought I’d forgotten just what that bark did to me, but my now fully erect cock tells me I wasn’t quite as well prepared as I’d hoped.”

  Startled out of his creative mindset, Alec dropped the pen and quickly settled into his Dom headspace. “Well, if it isn’t Keb, our little pain slut. How are you doing, boy?”

  “Ah, you remember me,” Keb said in a pleased tone. “I’m doing very well, Sir. Especially with what lies ahead.”

  “How are you and Avery doing?” Alec had trained Keb almost a decade back and had hooked him up with his master, Avery. “It seems like forever since I’ve seen you two.”

  There was a long moment of silence before Keb spoke. “He released me three months ago.” The sadness in his tone instantly brought all of Alec’s protective instincts forward.

  “What happened, boy?”

  “Nothing super big, Sir, though it turned out to be the one thing we couldn’t get past.” Keb sighed. “Master wanted to marry me. He’s been trying to get me to agree for three years now. Finally he stopped trying. Instead he released me.”

  Alec winced. No. Keb wasn’t the type to want a wedding band. “But you were in a permanent collar.”

  “I was. I would have been happy to stay his slut for the rest of my life. But marriage was a hard limit for me and I considered giving in several times. I think he knew I would have done so and probably hated him for it. So he released me instead. You know,” he said, a tinge of pain in his laughter, “I’d forgotten what it was like not to have safety around my neck. It’s awful.”

  His heart went out to the boy. And to Avery. He’d loved Keb. Had been head over heels in love with his sub. It was sad that one stupid institution destroyed their relationship. Alec had never thought much of marriage, but he wished for Avery and Keb’s sake, that it had stayed illegal. “Sorry to hear that, Keb. Have you found a temporary Dom to help you through the transition?”

  “Tried that, but I think I was with Avery too long. Everyone else seems wrong. Or plastic. Or something. I don’t know. I was kind of thinking…” He could hear Keb breathing a little harder. “Sir, I heard you work at that new kink fair thing in Washington State. I don’t suppose you could use a slave to help you run your shop. You know me. And… I could really use a few months serving you while I work things out in my head.”

  The words came in a rush and Alec froze. The protective Dom he was and the fact he’d trained Keb made him want to say “Yes, boy. Come now.” But he couldn’t. There was James and the possibility of a relationship. The word left a slightly sour taste on his tongue. But that’s what he wanted. A more permanent relationship with a wonderful man who also was kinky as shit. And James was that. Or at least hopefully would be. Keb already was. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  “Sir?” Keb sounded nervous. “Have I overstepped my bounds? If so, my apologies.”

  “No,” Alec said firmly. “You haven’t overstepped anything, Keb. I was just acknowledging the fact the timing sucks. I’ve just taken on a sub.”

  “You’re training someone new? I could help take the weight off everything else, Sir. I could run your shop for you while you trained the boy.”

  “I’m not just training him, Keb. I took him on as my sub.”

  “Oh.” It was more breath than sound. “Wow. Congratulations, Sir. We’ve all wondered if you’d ever find someone you would want for long term.” It was obvious he was trying to be supportive while fighting his own disappointment. “How long have you two been together?”

  “We’ve known one another two weeks. He agreed yesterday.”

  “Fuck,” Keb said with a half laugh. “I’ve been fighting with myself for a month about calling you. I could kick myself.”

  He could imagine so. If Keb had called him a month ago and asked, Alec would have said yes without a moment’s hesitation. “Look, Keb. I might have my own sub now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you. I do. I trained you and you will always have a spot in my life. I’m taken. But…” Alec thought quickly. “How would you feel about working at the Faire? I’d have to ask Kendrick what kinds of positions are available, but you might
find it’s just the balm for you right now. You’ll be surrounded by fellow kinksters while you get past your old relationship and open yourself to a new one. What do you say?” He couldn’t leave Keb alone. He just couldn’t. He knew that subs when released could do truly stupid things like end up with any master. And that could end up deadly.

  “I don’t want to cause a problem,” Keb said quickly. “With your new sub, I mean.”

  That was something Alec would have to talk to James about. There was bound to be some jealousy. “Keb, I want you to come to Elan Isle. We won’t be scening at all. But there will be plenty of gay Doms to serve while you’re here. And tons of fun to be had. I’m not going to leave you to suffer. Tell me when you’ll be here.”

  Keb made another sad laugh. “I’m in Sequim. If I would have even thought you had a sub, I wouldn’t have come.”

  “The next ferry is this afternoon. Take it, Keb. I’ll meet you at the docks. I’m not sure about the housing situation. You’ll probably have to live with the other summer workers near Sequim. For tonight, come to the island.” He knew exactly who he would ask to take Keb in for the night. “In fact, I think I know where you can stay tonight. A fantastic male sub lives here. He’s a flirt and loves a good fuck, but most likely, he’ll fill you with sweets.”

  “I—”

  Alec shook his head. Keb’s doubts were attacking him, which meant making a decision would send him running. No time to waffle. It was time to make a command. “I’ll be in Sequim in an hour. Be waiting by the docks. You’re coming. Bottom line, boy.”

  “Okay, Sir,” Keb said quietly. “If you’re sure.”

  “One hour. Since I know waiting is a pain, why don’t you go to the local grocery store and get some groceries? We have a small store here, but it doesn’t have a lot of the specialty things you enjoy.” Alec stood up and went into his bedroom as he finished the conversation. “It takes fifty minutes from dock to dock and it will take me about… shit. Better make that an hour and a half. I don’t want you to be waiting and wondering if I’m on my way. Now, repeat back to me what you’re to do. Now, boy.”