Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Thorin
“I can’t believe I burned the meatloaf. I am so sorry,” Payne said, wringing his hands and looking far less put together than I’d seen him since he’d been here.
Wylde was out of his chair even faster than I was, nearly overturning them in our haste to hug and reassure Payne.
“You’ve been going nonstop since you got here,” Wylde said gently. “Sometimes things just catch up to us, and we need a break from trying to do all the things we think we should be doing.”
“But I burned the meatloaf, and now we have nothing for supper unless I thaw something else, and that will take hours, and then dinner will be so late it’ll cut into game time, and I love game time with you guys,” Payne rambled, sniffling as he held back his tears.
“One of the best things about the Ranch is that there is always something for supper,” Wylde said, his voice that low, gentle cadence he used with spooked animals that always seemed to settle them down.
He’d used it on me more than once too, which was the only thing that got me to focus and not lose my shit when I was too deep in my head.
He’d used it a lot when we’d been on the rodeo circuit together, like the day I’d lost my boots.
I’d been fully prepared to storm over to Chuck Martin’s RV and demand he give them back to me when Wylde had calmly asked me to think about where we hadn’t looked.
I’d growled that I’d searched the damn RV top to bottom and to look at the mess I’d made if he didn’t believe me, and he was the one to suggest that we look outside, before I wound up taking the panels off the walls or something else equally as destructive.
Yeah, that voice was good and soothing, and as he stroked Payne’s hair, it was clearly exactly what our boy needed while we held him.
“You said the other night that you loved Mexican food. Why don’t we go to the restaurant and enjoy some chips and salsa while we check out what’s on the menu?” Wylde asked.
“Not that he’ll order anything but the camarones en crema he always gets, but there are plenty of options to choose from, including shredded beef tacos and steak tips in a beautifully spicy cream sauce served over Spanish rice,” I added.
Payne blew out a long, slow breath, clearly thinking about it.
“I think that would be a wonderful idea,” he replied, turning to nuzzle against me too. “Could we… would it be possible… I haven’t seen the Dungeon yet, and I… I think maybe I need a night to just feel and not think about anything.”
“We absolutely can,” I told him. “Were you thinking that you’d like a bit of sensory play or something harder?”
“Can we start with soft and a blindfold? I have a few in my room. I just, it’s always better for me to not see what’s coming; then I can just sink into the moment completely and not lie there trying to think about what might be next.”
“In that case, I have a few things in my bag you might truly enjoy,” Wylde said. “Why don’t you let me clean up the kitchen while you and Thor get ready? All of my things are in my bag, and it won’t take me but a moment to grab a quick shower and dress when I’m done.”
“That would be perfect,” Payne replied, giving me a squeeze. “I think I’ll grab a quick shower too.”
Then he was off, and Wylde turned away and headed for the kitchen, while I stood there wondering what was going through his head.
“I can help,” I said. “Since the shower is about to be occupied and I need one too.”
“I’ve got it,” he replied.
“Okay, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. But if I’m going to help you give him what he needs, then I need to get my thoughts in order. I’ve got ideas already, but I want his first time in the Dungeon with us to be perfect for him, which means I can’t look to you for direction.”
“You can always look to me for whatever you need,” I said, sliding a hand up his back. “It’s how we’ve always worked. Why change a good thing?”
“I-I wasn’t sure if you still felt that way. Thought it was about time I figured out how to be the Dom he needs me to be on my own so you aren’t always left carrying the bulk of the load when it comes to, well, you know.”
“I do know, and I also know that you work better when you go on instinct and impulse, so do that because that is what he needs from you tonight, not for you to try to be someone you aren’t.”
“Thor, I’m trying.”
“Why when you don’t have to?” I asked. “Is it because of me? Have I done something to make you feel like you can’t be yourself anymore?”
“I-I just….” His words trailed off as he turned his focus back on the dishes, though at least he handed me a glass to dry instead of sending me away like he’d tried to do in the first place.
“Have you been wanting me to take you down and give you a night out of your head since before Payne got here? That’s all I’m asking.”
“Yes, okay, yes, I have, and I wasn’t sure if I had the right to ask, since I was the one who broke what we had with Cory, but I swear to you, Thor, I tried to be all that he needed, and he still wanted to add someone else.
I couldn’t be you. I tried and I failed, and he left, and I got broken, and nothing has been right since then.
So, I’m trying to be different in case I’m ever in that situation again and you can’t be with us, I can be enough. ”
“You were always enough,” I said, cupping the back of his neck and giving a gentle squeeze, making sure to hit the pressure points that I knew would turn him to putty.
“One night soon, we are going to sit down and have the conversation you tried to have with me about Cory when you got here. I’m ready to listen.
I’m sorry I wasn’t ready before. Maybe if I had let you say what you needed to say then, you wouldn’t be standing here trying to convince yourself that you needed to be someone other than the amazing man you’ve always been.
I’m sorry; that was unfair of me. I love you, Wylde.
I’ve loved you ever since the day you smirked at me and told me that we were going to be the best of friends whether I wanted to be or not.
I did, by the way. I don’t remember if I ever told you that before.
I was just jealous of the way you caught on to everything so quickly while I had to fight for every inch of ground I made with those bulls. ”
“Only because you overthink and I don’t think enough,” he said softly.
“Which is why we’ve always made a good team,” I reminded him. “Because your strengths are my weaknesses. So, let’s take our strengths with us into the Dungeon tonight so we can give Payne, and each other, everything we need.”
“I’m down for that.”
“Good, now let’s get these dishes finished up so we can have supper. I can hear your stomach rumbling even with the water running.”
“Yeah, I could eat.”
“Same.”
In no time at all, we finished the dishes and shared a quick shower to save time.
Wylde wore the leather boots Payne had lovingly polished to a high shine, along with his favorite black leather pants and one of the many Harley t-shirts in his collection.
He had his toy bag in hand when we got into the SUV, with Payne in lavender and gray tonight, from his ankle-length boots to the beanie he wore.
I loved his collection of boy shorts, and this pair was no different.
It had sparkly lettering across the ass that read "Prime Time," and a mesh crop top that showed off the purple and silver glitter he’d dusted along his skin. In short, he was stunning.
I’d opted for a kilt instead of jeans, leather boots instead of cowboy boots, and a harness over my black, form-fitting top, because I preferred keeping my shirt on, unlike Wylde, who I knew would discard that t-shirt the moment he stepped past the Dungeon doors.
In so many ways we were opposites, but in so many others, we were the same.
Sometimes, I forgot that when he needed me to remember that deep down, he had as many uncertainties and insecurities as I did.
Yeah, we made the perfect pair, and after what Payne had said to us the night he’d cleaned our leather, we were well on the way to becoming a trio again.
Payne must have really liked the idea of the beef tips because that’s what he ordered after only a short glance at the menu, while Wylde ordered his usual.
I swear that man ate more shrimp and seafood than anyone I knew.
We’d discussed implements too, with the flogger being the hardest one Payne wanted used on him, while I had a trio of canes in my case for Wylde if he needed me to use them on him.
A bit of pain always helped him dial in on a task, and well, if pain was what he needed to help him give Payne all the soft, sensual moments he needed so he’d stop thinking so hard, then I was ready to give it to him.
We took our time eating, then walked through the greenhouse so Payne could see where the fruit, vegetables, and herbs used in the various restaurants on the grounds came from.
With the way he loved to cook, I knew he’d find it fascinating.
Seated on the bench near the water, listening to it flow, allowed our food to digest and our minds to settle before we stepped through the glossy, highly polished Dungeon doors.
“The floor sparkles,” Payne said, gesturing to the flecks of mica in the polished stone floor. “The whole space is a work of art.”
“It is, isn’t it,” I said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
The three of us had been holding hands since we left the garden, Payne in the middle, eager and excitedly chatting about all the different plants we’d seen.
Wylde had told him about the classes that were being planned to teach residents and guests how to create potted gardens so they could still have the plants they desired, even if they were working with limited space.
It got me thinking about the small yard behind the houses Derek would either sell or rent to employees in the housing area he’d built up on the Ridge.
There would be room for herbs and other things too if Payne wished to plant some.
Of course, that also depended on if he chose to be ours.
I hoped he wanted to remain so long past the end of his two-week fantasy vacation here. Personally, I wanted him to belong to us forever.
Since we’d arrived not long after the Dungeon had reopened for the evening, there were plenty of available play spaces to enjoy.
I knew from Payne’s Q & A sheet that he preferred restraints, so I led him to a comfortably padded leather table with wrist and ankle restraints that were soft and satiny on the inside while still firm and able to securely hold him in place.
“Let’s get you comfortable while Wylde gets his treats set up for you,” I said, as Payne ran his hand over the surface and then knelt to remove his boots.
He had mesh socks that he left on his feet.
He always wore socks because his feet got cold easily even if the rest of him ran hot.
I loved learning those little tidbits about him.
Instead of letting him peel his shirt off, I removed it for him, inch by slow, careful inch, caressing his flesh as I revealed it, keeping his focus on me while Wylde unpacked his toy bag.
Payne opted to keep his shorts on as he hopped up on the table, then I helped him position his blindfold, which matched his outfit, right down to the sparkles across the front.
These spelled out I don’t need to see to have fun.
The quirky sayings on his clothes were just as endearing as the man himself, and with so many other outfits I’d yet to see, I knew there were plenty more to enjoy in the days to come.
I took my time securing him to the table.
Ran my hands over his arms and back, stroking slow circles over his skin, especially the backs of his hands, before I wrapped the restraints around his wrists.
Wylde was carefully lining things up in the order we intended to use them, so I kissed down Payne’s spine and felt him shiver beneath my lips when I reached his tailbone, the waistband of those shorts just as soft as the rest of the material.
He’d gone all-in on comfort tonight, which was perfect for what I knew was in store for him.
I massaged his calves much as he had mine on his first night here, ending at his ankles, which I secured to the table just as Wylde straightened up from the stand he’d laid everything out on.
He gave me a nod as I looked it over and saw the way he’d organized everything so we could easily work our way down the line.
Just so he knew I had them, I added the canes to the stand, grinning when his gaze flickered to them and his eyes immediately lit up.
We were ready, and I was more than ready to get started. Judging from the eager look on Wylde’s face, he was too.
The only thing left was to begin.