Chapter 5
“Smitten? Intrigued, maybe,” Nolan retorted, but he knew intrigued didn’t quite cover it.
Smitten seemed far too tame for what he was feeling.
Possessive was probably a more accurate description and growing increasingly so the longer Kai was around.
There was no doubt now that Nolan was keeping him.
His fate had been sealed the instant he’d seen those tears on Kai’s cheeks.
He wanted to know about those tears, but more than that, he wanted to be the one that wiped them away, who held him close and offered him comfort.
“I haven’t seen him around the club before.”
Nolan huffed out a laugh, already knowing where that was going. Chris took nothing more seriously than security, and more particularly, Katie’s security.
“I’m just saying, let me run a background check before you move him in.”
And there it was.
“How about you let me think about taking him on a date before you sic your watchdogs on him?” Annoyance pinched his eyes and turned down the corners of his mouth.
Chris quietly chuckled. “The look on your face right now says you’re already thinking well past first dates, brother.”
Katie and Nolan both saw the exact moment when Kai’s hand stilled, his eyes closed.
Katie shot a look at Nolan, silently asking what to do.
He pushed off the wall he’d been leaning on and made his way over to them, squatting low so he could see Kai’s face.
He looked more relaxed today, but his brow still creased like he couldn’t quite shake off his worries, even in sleep.
Nolan cupped his face lightly, stroking his thumb along his cheek.
Kai’s eyes shot open, and he jerked away from Nolan, scrambling back on elbows to put some distance between them.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” he hissed as he tried to get his bearings. Katie gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth.
“Woah, woah.” Nolan held up his hands. Kai shook off his confusion, the tension fading from his body. Katie sat frozen beside them.
“Shit. I’m sorry,” Kai apologized, rubbing the heel of his palm into his eye. “Damn Girl, you knocked me out.”
“Sometimes that happens to me too. Especially if I’m big for too long,” she commiserated, shoulders coming down from where they were around her ears, now that Kai had relaxed.
Kai gave a small laugh. The way that Kai interacted with Katie’s toys made Nolan think Kai wasn’t really a little, but he was becoming increasingly convinced Kai had probably been “big” for too long without someone to care for him.
“Why don’t you go up and get some more rest?” Nolan offered.
Kai slumped. He might not be a little, but the look on his face was very much reminiscent of a boy stubbornly resisting a nap. It was fucking adorable.
Finally, Kai shook his head. “Nah, I’m good.”
“You’re not. If you don’t want to go up to bed, come and rest on the couch with me.” Nolan held out a hand for Kai to take.
“You’re bossy.” Kai grinned, but there was a gleam in his eye that had Nolan’s cock perking up.
“Daddies always are,” Katie said knowingly.
Kai’s eyes widened with interest, and Nolan almost purred with approval.
Kai slipped his hand into Nolan’s, and a rush of pleasure zipped right through his body.
Shit, would touching him always be like that?
No, there was no way this level of attraction was sustainable.
Nolan pulled him to his feet, leading him over to the massive sectional that dominated the room.
“Is that what you are?” Kai asked. Nolan sat on the end of the sectional where he could stretch his legs out in front of him, dropping a pillow on his lap. Kai took the hint and stretched out beside him, resting his head on the pillow so he could look up at Nolan.
“Is that what you’re looking for?”
Kai didn’t answer, just raised his eyebrows expectantly.
Nolan grinned. Yeah, this boy definitely had a little brat in him.
“Yes. I like taking care of my partner, handling all of their needs, being their Daddy.” Nolan carded his hand through Kai’s hair, massaging his scalp until Kai’s eyes floated to half-mast, his face a mix of pleasure, desire and approval.
“Will you tell me the rules?” he murmured, looking up at him.
“Not now.”
Kai’s bottom lip jutted out ever so slightly, the corners of his mouth turning down in a pout. Nolan grinned and ran his thumb over that lip, his smile still amused.
“When?” Kai demanded to know.
“If you show me you can be a good boy and do as you’re told, we can talk about it this evening. Do you have anywhere you need to be today?” Kai hesitated, then shook his head quickly.
“Who’s ready for cheesecake? Kai, sweetie, why don’t you sit up and have some cheesecake?
” Dion held out a dessert plate with a wedge of creamy-looking cheesecake, fruit and jelly spilling all over it.
Dion’s smile was brittle, and he had a hard glint in his eye.
Nolan sighed internally. No matter how often Nolan told him, there didn’t seem to be words in any language Nolan knew that could convince Dion that there never would be anything more than friendship between them.
“Nah, I’m good.” Kai cradled the back of his head, smirking up at Dion and wiggling down like he was settling in. Dion glared but disappeared into the kitchen again, and Kai turned his attention back to Nolan.
“He’s possessive. Have you two ever?”
Nolan sighed. “No, Dee is my closest neighbour. We’ve always been just friends.
Close friends,” Nolan amended, because it was true.
Dion had moved into the adjacent property with his husband, Ryan, not quite seven years ago.
Dion had always been flirtatious, but after Ryan left four years ago, Dion had fixated on Nolan with a single-mindedness that might have terrified a less stubborn man.
Nolan wasn’t interested in that kind of relationship with Dion, but he was very protective.
“Be nice,” he added.
Kai’s mouth curled in a wicked grin. “Oh, I am fully planning on fucking with him all day today.”
“Hmm.” Nolan nodded absently, his gaze drifting over Kai’s face, stroking a thumb along the light stubble of his jaw while the other tightened, just a little, in his hair. “Maybe this boy isn’t as interested in learning the rules as I thought,” he murmured.
“I am!” Kai’s brow furrowed in an adorable expression of concern. Nolan had to force himself to hold back his smile. It was going to be hard not to spoil this one, not to let him run right over him the way Katie did with his brother.
“Are you going to be a good boy for me today?”
Kai slumped, scowled and then let his face fall in a disappointed pout. “Fine. I won’t mess with Dion.”
“That’s not what I asked.” Nolan fixed him with a firm stare. Kai’s eyes raked over him as though looking for signs of weakness. He made a sound of disappointment and then caved.
“I’ll be good.”
Nolan hummed in approval.
“Maybe the boy needs something to think about so he remembers what he’s supposed to do.” Nolan stroked his thumb over Kai’s cheekbones, over his lips before letting his hand settle heavily on his collarbone. Heat flared in Kai’s eyes, and he squirmed, pressing himself closer to Nolan.
“Like what?” he asked, and Nolan’s mouth curved up at the eagerness in his voice.
“Later, when we’re alone, I’m going to ask you about your limits, what you like and what you’re open to exploring, so I need you to think carefully about it. Maybe, if you’re very good, there will be a reward.”
Kai’s eyes lit up. “Will you fuck me?”
Nolan chuckled. “Always in such a rush. Not today. Show me you can behave, and we’ll see if there’s another reward you can have.”
Kai was quiet for a minute, concern creasing his forehead again. “What if I don’t know what my limits are?”
“It’s something we can discuss. You can also talk to Katie. Katie’s kink list is as long as a summer day, and she is not shy in the least.”
Kai glanced over to where she was now perched on the opposite side of the couch, angling to be fed cheesecake while Lucas fended her off. “But right now, you’re supposed to be resting. Close your eyes.”
“I don’t want to sleep.”
Nolan raised his eyebrows. Kai sighed and did as he was told.
Nolan ran his fingers through his hair again, resuming the gentle massage and, after a minute, Kai rolled onto his side, towards him.
Slowly, his body relaxed and his breathing evened out.
Nolan pulled a throw from the back of the couch, over Kai’s body and was rewarded when he burrowed even deeper into him.
Pleasure warmed his chest. Kai clearly needed this, but Nolan needed it too.
It settled whatever it was about Kai that called out to him and made promises that they were only getting started.