6. Mason
Mason
I pull up outside the Woody Hollow, the sun sitting high and warm over Hardrock Park.
Kaleb’s truck is already parked out front, and Connor’s big black rig is right beside it. The two of them are leaning against the tailgate, shooting the shit and laughing about something.
Connor looks tanned and relaxed—clearly the road trip with Milo did him good.
Damn, he’s one lucky sonofagun to have found his Forever.
I kill the engine and step out, stretching my arms overhead after the short drive from my cabin.
“Gentlemen,” I call, slamming my door. “Ready to get your asses handed to you on the mountain?”
Kaleb grins, flipping me off. “Big talk from the guy who just got back from playing personal trainer to a certain sassy Little.”
Connor’s eyebrows shoot up. “Wait, what? I’ve been gone a week and Mason’s already got a boy? Come on, I need to know this shit!”
I shake my head, grabbing my daypack from the back seat. “Nothing to spill. Let’s hit the trail before you two start knitting baby blankets.”
We pile into Connor’s truck, he’s got the most space, and head out toward the eastern edge of town. The road winds upward through thick pine forest, the air growing cooler and sharper the higher we climb.
Classic rock plays low on the radio, windows cracked so the scent of resin and earth fills the cab. It feels good. Right. Three Daddies, no Littles around to keep us in line…
Just the simple pleasure of the mountain, the burn in our legs, and the kind of conversation that only happens when we’re out here.
Halfway to the trailhead, Kaleb twists in his seat. “So. Luke. Don’t think we didn’t hear about the spanking rumors either. Littles talk…”
I keep my eyes on the passing trees. “A Daddy doesn’t tell.”
Connor lets out a low whistle. “That’s cold, man. We’re your brothers.”
“Exactly,” I say, fighting a smirk. “Which means you know the code. I handled the situation. He learned. End of story.”
Kaleb laughs. “Handled. Sure.”
I feel my neck heat up but I don’t give them more.
The memory of Luke bent over my lap in the truck, then later in the stockroom, his bare ass glowing pink, moaning softly while I rubbed cooling cream into his skin—hits me hard.
His whispered “Daddy.” The way he’d melted under my hands.
Fuck. I shift in my seat and change the subject.
“How was the road trip, Connor?” I ask, more than a little curious. “Milo survive your surprise itinerary?”
Connor’s whole face lights up. “Best few days of my life. That boy… he’s everything. We hit the coast, stayed in little cabins, ate too much seafood, fucked like rabbits every night. He’s wearing my ring now. Officially collared and claimed. Not that we weren’t already official, but you know…”
“About damn time,” Kaleb says, clapping him on the shoulder. “Taron’s already planning the joint Little celebration party.”
We reach the trailhead parking lot and gear up: water, snacks, a couple of beers each for the summit. The tallest peak in Hardrock Park rises ahead of us, its granite face cutting sharp against the blue sky. The trail starts easy, winding through dense forest, but we all know it gets steep fast.
The banter flies the whole way up. And I wouldn’t expect any less either.
Kaleb ribs me again about Luke. Connor wants details on the gym session. I keep batting them off with the same line—A Daddy doesn’t tell and all that—until they finally groan and let it drop.
For now.
About two miles in, as the trail steepens and our breathing gets heavier, I feel the words rising anyway. The mountain has a way of pulling truth out of you.
“I’ll admit it,” I say, voice low as I plant my boot on another rocky step. “I want what you two have. The settled life. The Little waiting at home. Someone to take care of. Someone who looks at me like I’m the one and only man in town.”
Connor glances back, sweat beading on his forehead but his expression serious.
“It changes everything, brother. In the best way. I used to live for the next adventure, the next thrill. Now I live for coming home to Milo in his Little outfits, hearing him call me Daddy, knowing I’m the one who keeps him safe and happy. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
“Same,” Kaleb adds, breathing steady despite the climb. “Taron drives me insane sometimes, but he is my peace. My fire. My reason to be better. Being single was fine. Being his Daddy? That’s living.”
I nod, letting their words sink in as my quads burn on the ascent.
The forest is thinning now, giving way to alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers. Internally, something shifts. I’ve been telling myself for years that the rig is my life—that the money, the isolation, the danger is just what I have to do. But Luke already has me questioning everything.
And the thought of leaving Luke in a few weeks sits like a rock in my gut.
“I wouldn’t know what the hell to do for work,” I admit, wiping sweat from my brow. “Oil rig pays what it pays. I’ve got no fancy degree, no fancy skills beyond heavy labor and keeping my head on straight in a storm. How do I make that kind of money on land?”
Connor slows his pace so we’re shoulder to shoulder. “I’ll think on it. I’ve got some contacts in construction, logging ops, even some private security gigs that pay well. You’re a beast in the field, Mason. Hell, you’re a beast anywhere. We’ll figure something out.”
“Thanks, man. Means a lot.” I clap him on the back. “But I need to take responsibility on this one. I can’t keep waiting for life to hand me the perfect solution. If I want what you two have… I’ve got to build it myself.”
The words feel heavy but right. For the first time in years, settling down doesn’t feel like giving up. It feels like the next summit I need to reach.
We push harder as the trail narrows near the top.
The air is thinner, the views already insane… endless green valleys, distant rugged peaks, our little town looking like a toy set far below. My heart pounds, lungs burning, but the endorphins are kicking in hard.
“Last push!” I shout.
Without warning, Connor breaks into a sprint.
Kaleb follows with a wild laugh.
I dig deep, legs screaming, and charge after them.
Boots slam on rock. We’re shoulder to shoulder, elbows out, laughing like idiots.
I edge past Kaleb, then pull even with Connor on the final stretch.
My longer stride gives me the edge and I surge ahead by half a step and slap the summit marker first.
“Yes!” I roar, fists in the air, chest heaving. “Told you I’d smoke you sonsofguns!”
Connor bends over, hands on knees, grinning. “Barely, you cheating bastard.”
Kaleb collapses dramatically onto a boulder. “Rematch on the way down.”
I stand tall, hands on hips, looking out over the world. The view is breathtaking—mountains rolling forever, hawks circling below us, the late afternoon sun turning everything golden.
I suck in deep gulps of crisp air and feel something settle in my chest.
“Luke’s gonna beat Milo too,” I declare, still catching my breath. “Just like I beat you.”
Connor laughs, shaking his head. “We’ll see about that, big guy. Milo’s been training hard on the trip. Those victory pancakes are mine.”
We find a flat spot near the edge, pull out the beers we carried up, and crack them open. Cold foam hisses into the mountain air. We clink cans and drink deep, the bitterness perfect after the climb.
For a long while we just sit in comfortable silence, legs dangling over the edge, taking in the view.
The wind whips around us, carrying the scent of pine and stone.
My mind drifts back to Luke—his sassy smile, the way he melted when I called him little one, the trust he’s already placing in me even when he fights it.
I want this. The mountain. The cabin. Him.
I want to be the man who comes home to Luke every night. The Daddy who builds a life worth staying for.
Kaleb catches me smiling into my beer. “You’re gone for him, aren’t you?”
I don’t deny it this time. “Yeah. I think I might be.”
Connor raises his can. “To new chapters.”
“To settling down,” Kaleb adds.
I tap my can against theirs. “To finding a way forward.”
The sun dips lower, painting the sky in fiery oranges and pinks. We finish our beers, take a few photos, and start the descent as the light begins to fade. My legs are tired, but my spirit feels lighter than it has in years.
Luke doesn’t know it yet, but I’m all in.
I’ve got four weeks to show Luke what kind of Daddy I can be.
And after that? I’ll figure out the rest.
Because a man who can summit this mountain with his brothers can damn well build a future worth fighting for.
* * *
The descent goes faster than the climb, gravity doing half the work while the afterglow of the summit and cold beers keeps our spirits high.
We rib each other the whole way down—Connor complaining that I got a lucky final stride, Kaleb swearing he’ll smoke us both next time.
The fading light turns the forest into deep greens and golds, and by the time we reach the trailhead parking lot, the sky is painted in soft purples and oranges.
My legs are pleasantly wrecked, my head clear, and my chest feels lighter than it has in months.
We drive straight back into town as early evening settles over Hardrock Park. Streetlights flicker on along the main strip, and the Woody Hollow’s warm glow spills out onto the sidewalk like an old friend waving hello.
“Quick one?” Connor asks as he kills the engine.
“You twisted my arm,” I grunt, a knowing smile soon following.
Inside, the Lantern is its usual lively self: laughter, clinking glasses, the boisterous hum of conversation mixed with classic country on the jukebox.
We claim our regular booth near the back, order a round of beers, and stretch our tired legs under the table. The cold pint feels like heaven after the hike.
We’ve barely taken our first sips when the door swings open and in walk three bundles of pure sunshine and mischief...
Luke, Milo, and Taron.
They spot us immediately. Milo lets out a delighted squeal and practically launches himself at Connor. Taron beelines for Kaleb with a mischievous grin. And Luke… he walks straight toward me, cheeks already pink, that sassy little smile playing on his lips like he knows exactly what he does to me.
“Hey, mountain man,” Luke says, sliding into the booth beside me without waiting for an invitation. His thigh presses against mine under the table. “You smell like fresh air, a little sweat, and backpack of trouble.”
I drape my arm along the back of the booth, letting my fingers brush his shoulder. “And you smell like something a whole heap better than me. But moving on…good day at the store?”
Luke nods, stealing a sip from my beer like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Better after a certain someone snuck in and… took care of me.” His voice drops low enough that only I can hear.
The memory of him bent over those cereal boxes, moaning while I rubbed cream into his sore ass, hits me hard.
I shift closer, letting him feel the heat rolling off me.
But I can’t allow myself too much time to think…
The six of us fall into easy conversation: Milo recounting road trip highlights, Taron teasing Kaleb about losing the summit sprint, Luke quietly telling me about his cereal aisle adventures while his hand rests lightly on my thigh.
Every laugh from him, every brush of his fingers, winds me tighter.
This boy is magnetic. Dangerous. Perfect.
We nurse one beer each, knowing we’ve both got an early gym session tomorrow. The others rib us when we stand to leave after barely an hour.
“Already tapping out?” Kaleb calls.
“Some of us take training seriously,” I fire back, earning a laugh from the table.
Outside, the night air is cool and crisp. Streetlights cast soft pools of gold along the sidewalk. Luke starts turning toward his apartment, just a few blocks away.
“I’ll walk from here,” Luke says brightly. “It’s literally five minutes. You’re tired from the hike.”
I catch Luke’s hand before he can take two steps. “Not happening, little one. I’m walking you home. Safety first.”
He rolls his eyes but I catch the pleased little smile he tries to hide. “Bossy.”
“Just the way you like it,” I answer.
We walk slowly, hands linked, the town quiet around us except for the occasional passing car and distant laughter from the tavern. Luke’s apartment building comes into view too soon. I stop at the bottom of his steps, reluctant to let the night end.
“Goodnight, Luke,” I murmur, tilting his chin up with two fingers.
There’s a brief, awkward pause—both of us hovering, hearts beating loud in the silence. Then he rises onto his toes at the same moment I lean down.
Our lips meet in a kiss that starts soft but quickly turns hungry.
Passionate. His hands fist in my shirt as I pull the boy closer, one arm banding around his waist. He tastes like beer and sweetness and pure temptation.
I deepen the kiss, tongue brushing his, swallowing the tiny needy sound he makes.
Too soon, he pulls back, breathing fast, lips swollen. “I should… go inside before I drag you upstairs.”
I rest my forehead against his for a second, breathing him in. “Smart choice. Because if you did, we wouldn’t be getting much sleep.”
Luke giggles, kisses my cheek, and scurries up the steps. At his door he glances back once, gives me a little wave, and disappears inside. The lock clicks.
I stand there for a long moment, staring at Luke’s door, my cock half-hard and my mind already racing ahead to tomorrow morning.
Training. The program I built for him. And this time… I’m bringing the small wooden paddle I keep in my truck. Just in case that sassy mouth of his decides to make another appearance.
A grin spreads across my face as I turn and head back toward my truck.
Those damn four weeks.
I’ve got a little window to show Luke exactly what kind of Daddy I can be.
And I plan on making every single day count…