Chiseled Wood [Cedar Falls 19] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Shea Balik

  “All his vitals check out,” Austin said. “I would think if he takes it easy for the rest of the day, Kyler doesn’t need to go to the hospital. But if he experiences any symptoms of lightheadedness or headaches, I want him taken in immediately.”

  Aaron gave Austin his word, even though Kyler tried to object. “It’s that or I let Austin take you to the hospital now,” Aaron warned Kyler.

  Those brown eyes flashed with anger, but Kyler wisely agreed. “Fine.”

  “Good,” Austin said. “Go home and get some rest.” Five minutes later, Austin was packed up and heading out to the ambulance.

  It wasn’t until he was gone that Jesse said, “Lily is at the grannies until five, so you can go to my house to get some sleep if you want.”

  The pink from before was back in Kyler’s face. “It’s okay. I can go back to my place,” Kyler insisted.

  Jesse started to open his mouth to refute Kyler’s claim, but Aaron wasn’t about to have Kyler’s homelessness made into a discussion for anyone to hear. “It’s okay, Jesse, I’ll take him home and make sure he gets some rest.”

  Jesse’s mouth closed and those dark eyes stared at Aaron for several moments before Jesse gave him a nod. “Just make sure he rests,” Jesse said.

  Then Jesse turned back to the counter where Brenda stood and said, “Okay, Brenda, I’m ready for that macchiato now.” But it was just as Jesse had turned to Brenda that Aaron could have sworn a self-satisfied smile had formed on Jesse’s green lips.

  If he didn’t know better, Jesse had somehow planned this whole thing to get Aaron to take Kyler home with him. There was no way Jesse could have made Kyler faint, but clearly Jesse had ideas of matchmaking in his head. Little did he know that wasn’t necessary. Aaron already planned on making Kyler his.

  Now all he had to do was convince Kyler.

  Chapter Twelve

  Panic set in as Kyler heard Aaron tell Jesse he would take Kyler home. He didn’t have a home. What was he supposed to do? If Aaron found out Kyler was a loser who couldn’t even afford a place to live, there was no way he was going to want to go out with Kyler.

  Wait.

  Kyler gave himself an internal roll of his eyes. Since it was all in his mind, he used one of Jesse’s patented dramatic ones to chastise himself. He must have hit his head when he passed out. There was no other explanation to why he thought, even for a moment, that Aaron would actually want to go out with him.

  No matter that the man had kissed him, twice, or held him in his arms, or even that he’d taken care of Kyler when he’d fainted, Aaron had made it perfectly obvious that he wasn’t interested in Kyler that first night. Kyler needed to remember that or he’d end up with a bigger broken heart than he already had.

  “Come on, little one, let’s get you home and in bed,” Aaron said. Then he did the one thing Kyler never expected. He lifted Kyler into his arms and started to carry him to the front door.

  Everything within him melted at the care Aaron was taking with him. As much as he just wanted to enjoy the moment, Kyler needed to protect his heart more. “Please put me down,” he whispered as tears pricked his eyes, knowing this might be the only time he ever got to feel cherished by this amazing man.

  “No.”

  The word was so matter of fact, it took Kyler a moment to process that Aaron refused to release him. Was it wrong that he wanted to just relax against Aaron’s chest and let him care for Kyler? He was more than a little bit tempted to do exactly that. The strength of Aaron’s body against his stirred a yearning deep within him and Kyler wasn’t sure he wanted to deny the sensations it created.

  Heck, he wasn’t sure he had the inner strength it would take to refute Aaron’s denial to put him down even if he wanted to, which he most assuredly didn’t. At the same time, Kyler knew he’d never survive if he let himself fall in love with Aaron, which, he hated to admit, he was already halfway there.

  Decision made, Kyler screwed up what little courage he had and said, “I said, put me down.”

  Dark brown eyes looked down at him with surprise mixed in with pride. Why that should make Kyler feel good, he didn’t question. What was the point? Right then, Kyler felt it more prudent to ignore those feelings coursing through him, in favor of protecting his fragile heart from wanting what it couldn’t have.

  If disappointment flooded his system when his feet touched the ground, who could blame him? Going from being safely in Aaron’s arms, to standing on his own might be what he asked for, but the reality of it left Kyler wishing with everything within him that he’d kept his mouth shut.

  So lost in thought, he hadn’t even realized they were standing next to Aaron’s truck, or that Aaron was opening the passenger door. It wasn’t until he was once more swung up into those strong arms that Kyler came to his senses again, only to find himself being gently placed on the leather seat and belted in.

  Bells were going off in his head that this wasn’t a good idea, but when Aaron didn’t back away after belting Kyler in, it became impossible to make his brain function enough to figure out what those bells were for. They were mere inches apart. Coherent thought just wasn’t going to happen when every fiber of his being silently pleaded that Aaron close the distance and kiss him once more.

  The first two times, Kyler had been near fainting and didn’t get the chance to enjoy them fully. It was only fair that he have the opportunity to do so now. Right?

  “If we’re going to be in a relationship, there are some rules that you need to understand.” Aaron’s mouth was close enough that Kyler could feel the warmth of his breath on his face. Close enough that Kyler only needed to push forward the tiniest bit and their lips would be touching.

  “It will be my priority to care for you and keep you safe, so if I feel it necessary to carry you, you will allow it.” Just as Kyler had been praying for, Aaron leaned closer, so their lips were just barely brushing against each other as he spoke. “Do you understand?”

  Huh?

  Kyler had no clue what Aaron had said, but he’d heard the demand that he answer the question. Something deep inside of him desperately wanted to do just that, but Kyler had no idea what he would be agreeing to. Racking his brain, he pieced together the words he’d heard Aaron say, but no matter how he tried, he couldn’t make sense of them.

  Did Aaron say they were going to be in a relationship? No. Kyler had to be wrong. But no matter how many times he went over what he thought Aaron had said, Kyler came back to the same conclusion. Too confused to give Aaron the answer he was waiting for, yet needing to say something, Kyler blurted out the one thing that kept getting stuck in his befuddled brain. “Relationship?”

  A light kiss was placed on one corner of Kyler’s mouth and he thought maybe he was still in Sweet Buns, unconscious. If he was, Kyler prayed he never wake up when Aaron pressed a kiss to the other corner of his mouth. This was too good to not want to stay in this fantasy forever.

  “Yes, little one. A relationship. I was an idiot to stay away from you for so long, but I plan to rectify that, assuming you want the same thing.” Then Aaron’s mouth covered his fully in a kiss so soft, so sweet, Kyler melted.

  Dazed when Aaron pulled back, Kyler sat there staring into those dark brown eyes and prayed this wasn’t a dream. It didn’t feel like one. Not even in his wildest of fantasies had Kyler’s imagination come up with a kiss as sensual as that one had been, even if it had been way too brief.

  “Come, let’s get you home. We’ll talk there,” Aaron said before shutting the door and heading around the front of the truck.

  It was as Aaron opened his own door that the reality of what he’d just said hit Kyler like a punch to the gut. But before Kyler could undo his seat belt to run from the truck so Aaron wouldn’t discover he was homeless, the engine started and Aaron was pulling from the parking spot.

  “Wait,” Kyler shouted in a panic. “I can take myself home.” His hand went to Aaron’s forearm that was resting on the center console, his finger’s digging
in a little too hard. “Just take me to my car,” he insisted.

  But it was like he hadn’t spoken as Aaron drove down Main Street and turned onto Peachtree, to take them away from downtown. “That’s another thing,” Aaron said as he moved his hand to grasp the one Kyler had been digging into his forearm. “I don’t allow lying,” Aaron said firmly. “For any reason.”

  The disappointment Kyler swore was in Aaron’s voice had Kyler opening his mouth to beg forgiveness, except if he did that he’d have to admit to not having any place to live. Just as fast as his mouth had opened, Kyler shut it, refusing to admit the truth, no matter how badly he wanted to apologize.

  But the silence that enveloped them was becoming uncomfortable. Kyler could feel the disapproval rolling off Aaron the longer Kyler didn’t speak. It was crazy. There was no way Aaron could know Kyler was homeless, so how could Aaron know he had been lying?

  It had to have been Kyler’s own paranoia. He’d never been a good liar. It was why he tried to always stick with the truth whenever possible. Even when it was embarrassing. But not having a home was just too much for Kyler to admit. Lying was his only option. Right?

  Even as he thought that, Kyler knew it another lie. But he just wasn’t ready to confide his situation to anyone, not even Aaron. Especially Aaron. So why did he feel like he was making the wrong decision?

  Chapter Thirteen

  Aaron was doing his best not to be too upset with Kyler’s decision to lie to him. He knew it wasn’t fair to hold Kyler to the high standards he demanded when they weren’t even an actual couple yet, but he had to admit, it wasn’t easy.

  The thing was, he couldn’t even blame Kyler for the lie. Having to admit he was homeless had to be hard. But even knowing that, Aaron still had the urge to pull the truck over and put Kyler over his knee for daring to hide it from him.

  “Where are we?” Kyler asked as Aaron pulled into his driveway.

  “Home.” Six years ago, Aaron had bought five acres of land that he’d fallen in love with. It sat partway up a small, mostly uninhibited mountain, giving him unimpeded views of the surrounding landscape. Not having enough money to build the home of his dreams, Aaron had been staying in the small two-bedroom home that had come with the property. It had been run down, but with a little work, Aaron had managed to make it quite livable.

  “What are we doing at your house?” Kyler asked nervously.

  Aaron hoped his nerves weren’t because Kyler was afraid of him. “Since you haven’t told me where you sleep at night, I thought I would take you here. I have a spare bedroom that you can use, and that way I can keep an eye on you in case you experience any dizziness that Austin warned us to watch for.”

  “Oh, okay.” Kyler seemed to sink into the seat in relief that Aaron wasn’t going to make him admit he didn’t have any place to live.

  For now, he would do exactly that. But once he was satisfied that Kyler had gotten some much needed rest, he planned on getting the truth. If he had to spank Kyler’s pert bottom to do it, Aaron was more than willing.

  Climbing out of his truck, Aaron went around the front to Kyler’s door and opened it for him. Before Kyler had a chance to get out, Aaron once more picked him up into his arms. There was no need. Kyler was perfectly fine. Yet, Aaron had liked the way Kyler felt tucked up against him, safe, protected.

  It hadn’t been something Aaron had ever done in the past with his lovers, but the moment he’d felt Kyler’s slight form in his arms at Sweet Buns after he’d fainted, Aaron had craved to keep him there.

  For a moment, Kyler stiffened and Aaron feared he’d object to being carried around. But instead of complaining, Kyler settled back against Aaron, his head tucked perfectly in the crook of Aaron’s neck.

  Smiling, Aaron strode to the front door. With keys in his hand, he managed to unlock the door without having to put Kyler down. It helped that Kyler didn’t weigh much. Opening the door, he carried Kyler across the threshold. They weren’t married, but for Aaron the moment was significant. By the way Kyler shivered in his embrace, he was sure Kyler felt the same way.

  Even inside, Aaron found it impossible to release Kyler. It was as if his inner caveman was out in full force and Aaron was going to do whatever it took to keep Kyler by his side. “As you can see, this is the living room.” He turned slightly to the left. “And there is the kitchen and dining room.”

  The house was more like a cabin. The main room was open with a postage stamp kitchen that just barely fit a stove and refrigerator. There was no room for a dishwasher and he’d had to put the microwave on a small cart in the dining area. The counter was less than three feet and didn’t offer him much room for preparing meals.

  That was what Aaron hated about the place the most. He loved cooking. Not that he got much of an opportunity to do it, but, for him, there was something cathartic about preparing his own meals. He hoped it was something Kyler enjoyed also for he loved the idea of working side by side with his lover as they made dinner.

  Jesse’s words came back to him about going to Sweet Buns so he could buy something for Kyler to eat. Aaron didn’t have much food in the house as he was saving every penny he could to build a house. However, he was sure he had the ingredients for omelets. “Why don’t we make something to eat before I put you to bed?” he suggested.

  Kyler’s stomach answered for them by growling at that moment. Aaron’s heart melted when Kyler tucked his head back into the crook of Aaron’s neck in embarrassment. He loved that Kyler instinctively turned to him instead of away from him.

  Chuckling, Aaron went over to the kitchen. “I guess that’s a yes.”

  He could feel Kyler’s lips lift into a smile against his skin. “Not much point in denying that when my stomach is ready to eat its way out to get to food.”

  Reluctantly, when Aaron reached the small kitchen, he lowered Kyler to his feet. He didn’t miss the look of disappointment on Kyler’s face. Hating that expression, he wanted to lift Kyler back up but making a meal while holding Kyler just wasn’t possible. “Would you like to help me cook?” he offered instead.

  The bright smile he received told Aaron he’d said the right thing. “I would love to. What are we making?”

  “How does an omelet sound?” Aaron opened the refrigerator to pull out the eggs, milk, and cheese.

  Once more Kyler’s stomach growled loudly. The sweetest laugh burst from Kyler’s lips. “Good,” Kyler admitted as he poked his head into the refrigerator and started pulling out a few mushrooms, half an onion, and a tomato. He set them on the small counter and pulled a knife from the wooden block Aaron had, along with the cutting board leaning against the back wall, and got to work chopping while Aaron cracked eggs into a bowl.

  They worked together as if they’d been doing it for years and within a short time had managed to make a filling meal. When they sat down, neither talked as they ate. There was no need. The food was too good and the silence comfortable.

  It wasn’t until Kyler was nearly done that something shifted. There was a tension that hadn’t been there moments before. “What’s wrong?” Aaron asked.

  But instead of answering honestly, Kyler shook his head and took another bite. “Nothing,” he mumbled.

  Aaron sighed and put down his fork. It was time to have a frank discussion with Kyler. He hadn’t been joking when he’d told Kyler he expected honesty earlier. But it went much deeper than that and Aaron couldn’t expect Kyler to obey the rules until he had a better understanding of what Aaron expected. Even then, he would need time to adjust, but if Aaron wanted a Dom/sub relationship, he had to first explain what that meant.

  “I am a Dom. Do you know what that is?” Aaron asked, deciding to start from the beginning.

  Kyler shifted nervously. Aaron had been expecting him to say no, so was surprised when Kyler nodded his head. “Some of the guys have been explaining it to me,” Kyler admitted. “Especially Ethan and Flynn.”

  Aaron should have realized. As strange as it was that a town as
small as Cedar Falls had so many gay residents, it was even more odd that so many of them were into BDSM. But even though it made it easier that Kyler knew of the lifestyle, it didn’t mean he knew what to expect. At least it was a start.

  “And how do you feel about that kind of relationship?” Aaron found himself holding his breath as he anxiously waited for Kyler’s response.

  Big brown eyes, magnified behind his glasses stared at Aaron. Equal amounts of fear, uncertainty, and if Aaron wasn’t wrong, excitement swirled in their depths. “I…” Kyler’s voice had come out as a squeak. After he swallowed, Kyler tried once more. “I am curious about it,” Kyler answered cautiously even as his cheeks flushed pink.

  At least Kyler wasn’t repulsed by what the others had told him. “I’m going to be honest with you Kyler. I plan to woo you. Obviously, we hardly know each other, but I’m hoping to enter into a relationship with you.”

  Kyler’s jaw dropped open. “You’re serious?” he asked incredulously.

  It pained Aaron that Kyler didn’t understand his appeal, mainly because he knew he’d contributed to it by appearing disinterested in the beginning. If Aaron could, he’d gladly kick his own ass for being so stupid and blind.

  “Very serious,” he admitted. “But there will be rules if you agree to enter into a relationship with me. Being honest with me at all times, is one of them.” It was actually the only rule he refused to bend on. In his opinion, there wasn’t a relationship if the couple couldn’t be honest with one another.

  Kyler dropped his head and started studying a spot on his mostly empty plate as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

  “Do you have a problem with that rule, Kyler?” With more patience than he was feeling at the moment, Aaron waited for Kyler to work through whatever was going on in his head.

  Just when Aaron thought he’d made a mistake in thinking Kyler wanted this too, Kyler lifted his head. Misery shone from his expression. “What if I already broke that rule? Would that mean you wouldn’t want me any longer?”