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

by Shea Balik

  Aaron stood up and went to where Kyler was sitting. He scooped him up into his arms and strode into the living room, sitting on the couch. Once he had Kyler comfortable on his lap, Aaron answered Kyler’s question. “I can’t think of anything in this world you could do that would make me stop wanting you, little one.”

  He didn’t know if it was the sincerity of his voice or the words themselves that had Kyler finally tilting his head to look at Aaron. “I’m homeless,” Kyler blurted out. “I lied about having a place to stay.” Then he bent his head once more as if afraid of what Aaron would say.

  But Aaron wasn’t going to let him hide. Slipping his hand along Kyler’s cheek, he forced him to look at Aaron once more. “Thank you for trusting me with the truth.” Then, to prove he wasn’t upset with the original lie, Aaron pressed his lips against Kyler’s. He kept it brief, even if all he wanted to do was drown in Kyler’s mouth.

  “As for the lying to me, we didn’t have an agreement yet, and even when we do, there will be adjustments we need to make in the beginning. Which is part of what we need to talk about before we agree to enter into a relationship.” Actually, that was only part of it, but Aaron didn’t want to overwhelm Kyler with too much at once.

  They would take this one step at a time, until they were both happy. Now that Aaron had decided to make Kyler his, he had no idea why he’d been so stubborn to not do this earlier. Not that it mattered just so long as Kyler ended up as his.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Warmth surrounded Kyler, wrapping around him like a cocoon. Even as his mind started to wake from its slumber, he burrowed further into the source of heat in an effort to return to the dream he never wanted to wake up from.

  Aaron had been there, holding him, kissing him, and making promises for their future. But try as he might, his brain had already started working and he wasn’t going to find his way back to his fantastical dream.

  He blew out a frustrated sigh. Figured. Not even in his dreams could Kyler get exactly what he wanted. His thoughts returned to Aaron’s admission that he wanted to be Kyler’s Dom and what that meant. Kyler froze.

  His brain worked overtime trying to focus on something that was tickling his memory. But try as he might, Kyler just couldn’t remember what it was.

  An arm tightened around his waist, tugging him back until he was pressed up against a wall of muscle.

  Suddenly everything came rushing back to him. Kyler hadn’t been dreaming. Aaron was there, holding him. He had kissed Kyler, a couple of times. Nothing too serious, but still, they were kisses. Most importantly, Aaron had said he wanted to be in a relationship. In fact, he’d said he planned on wooing Kyler.

  Not that he needed to. Kyler would jump at the chance to be with Aaron, but the man had insisted. Demanded even. Saying that Kyler deserved to be courted properly.

  “Stop thinking so hard,” Aaron whispered in his ear.

  How could he do that? Kyler was in Aaron’s home, sleeping in his spare room. Aaron held him while Kyler slept. Talk about mind blowing. Of course, Kyler’s brain was spinning with all that meant.

  Aaron chuckled in his ear, the deep sound sinking into Kyler and settling in his balls, causing them to roll in their sack. “I see you’ve finally realized this wasn’t all just a dream.”

  “How did you know what I was thinking?” Kyler asked.

  Aaron moved just enough so he could rotate Kyler so they were facing each other before pulling him back against his chest. “Because, little one, you are easy to read.”

  That wasn’t exactly a surprise. He’d never been able to hide his emotions. Growing up, his mother always knew when Kyler wasn’t telling the truth. It was one of the reasons Kyler didn’t bother lying.

  “Now what has your brain working overtime?” Aaron asked as he kissed the tip of Kyler’s nose.

  He couldn’t help it, Kyler melted at the sweet gesture. Without thinking about it, Kyler blurted out his various thoughts. “I am having a hard time believing you want to go out with me, much less court me,” Kyler started. “Then there are the rules you expect me to follow. I’m worried I’ll screw it up and you’ll realize what a big mistake you’re making. And even though I’m excited by some of the stuff Ethan and Flynn told me about their relationships with their husbands, what if I end up hating it? I mean, I’ve never been spanked, not even by my mother. What if it hurts and I can’t handle it?”

  Kyler knew he was rambling but he just couldn’t seem to stop himself. “Then there’s that fact that you call me little one, which I happen to love, but what I really want is for you to call me boy, like Bram does with Ethan.”

  Lips landed on Kyler’s silencing him more effectively than anything else could have. Kyler’s heart soared when Aaron didn’t immediately pull back as he’d had earlier. When he felt the velvety softness of Aaron’s tongue trace the seam of his mouth, Kyler sighed.

  Apparently that was what Aaron had been wanting, for the moment Kyler had opened up, Aaron licked his way into the recesses of Kyler’s mouth. The moment their tongues touched, Kyler moaned and let Aaron in completely. Bliss enveloped him as he felt himself pushed onto his back.

  The weight of Aaron’s strong body covering his was thrilling. When his hands were taken and pulled up over his head, Kyler’s dick went rock hard. Kyler couldn’t move. He was completely restrained by Aaron. Nothing Ethan or Flynn had told him about BDSM prepared Kyler for the sheer euphoria that filled him at that moment knowing Aaron controlled him.

  Kyler didn’t have to worry about doing something to screw things up. Aaron had everything in hand. All Kyler had to do was lie there and enjoy. Something he was more than happy to do. Who was he kidding? With Aaron stroking his body and kissing him as if he were the center of Aaron’s world, every cell in Kyler’s body was soaring in pure ecstasy.

  Fingers dipped under the edge of Kyler’s shirt. The calloused touch of Aaron’s fingertips against his smooth skin had Kyler shivering in need. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to feel those rough hands on his prick. Just the thought was enough to push him to the edge of an orgasm. It wouldn’t take much more to have him coming in his pants.

  “No coming unless I say so,” Aaron demanded.

  As much as Kyler wanted to obey the command, it was no use. Aaron’s harsh unyielding tone was all it took to send Kyler hurdling over the cliff into euphoria. His balls drew up painfully tight to his body, dumping their contents. His dick throbbed once and shot load after load into his pants.

  Kyler should have been embarrassed but the cloud he was floating on just didn’t allow for the emotion. At this point, Kyler wasn’t sure anything but the contentment of being in Aaron’s arms could penetrate his brain at that point.

  That was until he heard Aaron’s chuckle as soft kisses were placed along his lips and then his jaw. “It seems my boy needs a lesson in endurance and control.”

  Kyler’s dick twitched as it valiantly tried to revive itself when he heard Aaron call him boy. Groaning, Kyler turned his head just enough to meet those lips he was already addicted to. But Aaron didn’t allow him to take things beyond the small butterfly kisses he was giving Kyler.

  “But first, we need to get you cleaned up and then we should go and get your car.” Aaron pressed one more kiss to Kyler’s lips before rolling off the bed. “Come on, little one, you need to take a shower and I’ll get a pair of sweats you can change into.”

  Irrationally, Kyler didn’t want to. Maybe it wasn’t all that irrational. He was happy staying in bed with Aaron. Why would he want to get up? At the same time, Kyler was finding it impossible to not do as Aaron asked. He didn’t quite understand it, nor was Kyler sure he liked the conflicting emotions that were swirling inside of him.

  “I asked you to get up, boy,” Aaron said when Kyler continued to lie there.

  This time Kyler was helpless but to obey. He didn’t understand it, but it was as if Aaron’s command had linked itself to something deep within in Kyler, forcing him to
do what Aaron asked. From what Flynn and Ethan had said, it had to do with their submissive nature that they felt the need to please their Doms.

  The fact that Aaron had used such a hard tone with Kyler had knots forming in the pit of his stomach. Quickly, he moved to obey, but Kyler didn’t feel the knots easing until he saw Aaron smile down at him with pride in his eyes. “Good boy,” Aaron praised and the knots disappeared as Aaron placed a kiss against Kyler’s lips.

  Just as he had before, Aaron seemed to sense the turmoil that had been inside Kyler. “Talk to me, little one.”

  With that horrible sensation he’d felt when Aaron had seemed disappointed in him moments before still fresh in his mind, Kyler didn’t think, he just answered. “I don’t understand why I felt sick to my stomach when I disappointed you just now.”

  Aaron immediately pulled him into his embrace. The worry and nerves Kyler had felt started to lessen as he leaned into Aaron’s hard body and rested his head on Aaron’s broad chest. Being in Aaron’s arms was like a safe haven.

  “First of all, little one, you didn’t disappointment me. If anything, I’m extremely proud of you,” Aaron admitted.

  That didn’t seem possible to Kyler. Tilting his head back just enough to gaze up into Aarons dark brown eyes, Kyler asked, “Why would you be proud of me?”

  One of Aaron’s calloused hands slid along Kyler’s cheek, cupping half of his face with his large hand. Then Aaron leaned down and pressed another kiss to his lips. There was nothing better as far as Kyler was concerned. He loved that Aaron seemed to enjoy kissing him. It would be great if the kisses were longer, but he also enjoyed that Aaron seemed to communicate his affection for Kyler with the gesture, as if he couldn’t help himself.

  “I’m proud of you for trying, especially when it is obvious you don’t always understand what is expected.” The sincerity in Aaron’s gaze told Kyler he meant every word. “I don’t expect you to be the perfect sub, especially when you are just learning what a sub actually is. Over time, you will learn what I expect of you. Until then, all I can ask is for you to do your best.”

  That was the thing. Kyler feared he’d be inadequate. “What if my best isn’t good enough? What if, like understanding sarcasm, I just can’t do it?”

  “That, little one, is impossible,” Aaron assured him. Kyler opened his mouth to refute that but Aaron placed a finger over his mouth to keep him quiet. “Tell me, boy, what do you feel inside when I give you an order?”

  Kyler couldn’t stop the shiver that raced up and down his spine at being called boy. As much as he loved Aaron calling him little one, Kyler liked boy better. He just wished he understood why.

  “I’m not sure I can explain it,” Kyler admitted. “But it’s like there is a compulsion to do whatever you’ve asked of me.” But it was so much more than that. “When I don’t do it, I actually feel like I’m going to be sick.”

  Aaron smiled down at him at the admission. “That, right there, little one, is why I know you can do this. The question is, after everything I’ve told you earlier about a BDSM relationship and what I would expect of you, is it something you want?”

  There was no hesitation as Kyler blurted out, “Yes.” There was actually nothing he wanted more than to belong to Aaron.

  Another kiss was placed against his lips. “Good,” Aaron said. “Now get in the shower and I’ll find you those sweats so we can go get your car.”

  As Kyler went into the bathroom, he prayed Aaron was right and he wouldn’t end up screwing things up like he often did.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kyler was floating. There were no other words to describe just how happy he was. He’d officially moved into Aaron’s spare bedroom and, just as promised, Aaron was courting him.

  Just that morning, Kyler had been awoken to breakfast in bed, complete with a small bunch of wildflowers Aaron had picked just for him. Never in Kyler’s life had he felt as special as Aaron made him feel.

  The only thing that could be better, in Kyler’s opinion, was if Aaron would agree to sleep with Kyler. He was okay with not having sex yet, although he’d been tempted to beg for Aaron to make love to him on occasion, but what Kyler really wanted was to feel Aaron hold him through the night as he had when Kyler had taken a nap that first day Aaron had brought him home.

  Still, Kyler was learning to be patient. Sort of. Actually, if he were being honest, he was only patient because Aaron forced him to be. The man had the control of a saint.

  “I’m not sure what those flowers did to you but I hope you don’t plan on tearing them apart because I have to say that arrangement is too beautiful to destroy,” Ethan said, startling Kyler.

  He’d been too engrossed in his thoughts of Aaron to notice the bell of the door ring out to let him know someone had entered. “Ethan, sorry,” Kyler said as he picked up the arrangement he’d been working on and placed it in the glass cooler along one wall. “I guess I was lost in thought.”

  Ethan grinned. “Let me guess, you were thinking about Aaron and how frustrating he was.”

  Kyler spun away from the case when the glass door closed to stare dumbfounded at Ethan. “How did you know?”

  Ethan waved a hand at him. “Please. I’m married to my Dom. I know frustration when I see it.”

  “You should,” Jesse said as he walked up front carrying an armload of various flowers for the two of them to finish the last few arrangements they needed to do for the festival tomorrow. “You sure feel it often enough.”

  Ethan shrugged. “Yeah, well, you try being married to a man who thinks he’s never wrong.”

  Kyler turned when he heard a snort coming from down the hall to the back. “Tell me about it,” Parker joked. “If Jesse’s head gets any bigger, it’s not going to fit through the door.”

  “Hey,” Jesse complained. “My head isn’t that big.”

  Kyler tilted his head to stare at Jesse’s head while Ethan and Parker laughed. “I didn’t think a head grew once someone was an adult,” Kyler said.

  All three men burst out laughing. Clearly, he’d said something stupid again, but he had no idea what. Kyler wished he were anywhere but there.

  “Sorry,” Jesse said. “I was only laughing because it isn’t often someone actually agrees my ego isn’t enormous.”

  Kyler must have looked like he didn’t know what that meant for Jesse explained it to him. Even then Kyler didn’t understand how someone’s head size related to what they thought about themselves, but Kyler refused to say so and sound even more like an idiot.

  Parker pulled Jesse into his arms and said, “I have to get back to the shop and get another load of furniture. I’ll be back in an hour or so.” Then he gave Jesse a kiss that spoke of how much he loved his husband.

  Kyler prayed, one day, Aaron would kiss him that way. Not that he wanted to skip the courting they were engaged in now, but still, it was nice to believe they would get to that place in their relationship.

  The bell over the door rang out and Kit stormed in. “I want a do-over,” he exclaimed a bit too loudly considering they were all standing right there. “This day sucks and it is only going to get worse,” Kit groused.

  Jesse glanced at his phone. “You only opened the salon an hour ago, what in the hell could have been so bad?”

  Kit glared at Jesse. “It’s all your fault.”

  Jesse’s eyes widened dramatically as he placed a hand to his chest and said, “Me? What did I do?”

  “You were the one who asked Angelo to come up with a design to rebuild the one building that was destroyed in the tornado, along with extending a portion of Peachtree to add more storefronts and apartments on the second floor.” The way Kit said it, Kyler thought it would be a bad thing, yet he wasn’t quite sure why.

  New buildings to hold more shops should be a good thing. At least the way many of the residents of Cedar Falls talked, it should be. The town had once been barely able to survive, but now, it was beginning to flourish and more stores would only help bring i
n visitors.

  The way Jesse was staring at Kit as if he’d lost his mind, made Kyler think Jesse didn’t understand how any of what Kit said was a bad thing either. Ethan, on the other hand, seemed to understand what Kit was saying if the look of commiseration on his face was any indication.

  “Have you lost your marbles?” Jesse asked.

  Kyler bit his tongue to stop from asking why Kit had marbles and what losing them had anything to do with what was going on. Admittedly, it wasn’t easy since he was completely confused by the conversation, but he refused to appear stupid so soon after the last time.

  “We’ve all agreed building more opportunities for this town to grow would be a good thing for me to use to get elected,” Jesse said. “I would have thought you’d prefer for me to give the business to Angelo instead of his competition.”

  “Yeah, but Angelo has been so busy working on the plans that he’s been completely ignoring me,” Kit wailed.

  Ethan went to Kit and pulled him into a hug. “Oh, honey. It will be okay.”

  “I still don’t see how any of this is my fault,” Jesse groused. “Aren’t you subs supposed to tell your Doms when you need attention? I mean when Parker is too busy working and hasn’t fucked me for a couple of days, I just go to his shop, lock the door, and strip down naked,” Jesse said as if he did it all the time. “Problem solved.”

  “You know I can’t do that,” Kit cried. “So I’ve been eating.”

  “What did Angelo do when he found out?” Ethan asked.

  But Kit just wailed even louder. “That’s just it, he hasn’t. I even slept over the salon last night and he never came to check on me.” The last part was hard to understand as Kit was crying so hard the words were becoming incoherent.

  “What if he no longer loves me?” Kit whispered around the tears. He seemed so lost, Kyler nearly found himself crying right along with him.