Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“See you soon, man.” I ended the call and drew a deep breath, and it took all my willpower to turn my anger into determination.
I found Archie on the patio behind the house, where several heaters were working to allow members to stay outside without freezing. Same song and dance; every fall, we discussed putting together a better seating area where we could shoot the shit with buddies and not become deaf from the music in the club area.
I counted about a dozen kinksters on the deck, most of them subs, while I spotted River, Lucas, and a couple other Doms near the cabins. No sign of Sloan yet—or Reese, for that matter. So I started with Archie and headed over to the table he was sharing with a handful of brats.
They all managed to thaw me out a little with a string of cheerful greetings, and I couldn’t bring myself to yank Archie away too abruptly. My boy was making friends.
“What’re you up to, brat boys?” I asked.
Kit grinned and held up his phone. “I was showing photos from Seattle.” Right, they’d just gotten back from a mini vacation. “Now Archie is showing us his daughter.”
I smirked, wondering how popular baby pictures could be in this crowd. Tate would love it, but he wasn’t here. Ivy, of course. I was guessing she was inside.
“She’s flippin’ cute,” Noa said, scratching his forehead. “Does she know any tricks?”
I coughed a laugh. That kid, I swear.
The others found him funny too, but Archie was a pro.
“None that are useful so far,” he replied amiably. “Master and I are trying to teach her how to sleep on command, but no luck.”
Cameron snickered and ruffled Noa’s hair. “You’re such a dork.”
“What?!” Noa scowled and smoothed back his unruly hair.
“Anyway,” I chuckled, lifting my brows. “Can I have a word, pet?”
“Of course, Sir.” Archie rose from his seat and smiled politely at his new friends. “I’ll see you guys later.”
“Later, masturbator!” Noa and Kit cried out in unison before they cracked up.
I gave them a look. “Y’all’re fuckin’ weird.”
They could not stop laughing. Had to be some inside joke.
I ushered my boy off the deck, and he snickered and explained it was some online wordplay they were doing in our community. I didn’t understand half of it, but Archie seemed to be in-the-know and was thoroughly amused, so that was all that mattered.
We headed for my cabin, and I asked if he knew where Sloan was.
“He’s taking a nap. Like he’s fifty years old.”
“Whoa, easy there, boy. I’ll be fifty in five years.”
“And you can nap all you want then, my hot, sexy, wonderful Owner.” He actually batted his eyelashes at me. Had he been drinking? “All kidding aside, he’s been doing yardwork all day since he got home from the interview.”
Oh, right. “How did that go?”
“Great! As I knew it would. They want him to come back.”
Thank fuck. I was in no rush for Sloan to get a new job; it was for his sake I was relieved. He wasn’t in the best place in his life to handle defeat. He’d just beat himself up too much.
“One more thing,” he said, stepping onto my little porch. “Sloan’s decided to call me Archer.”
I cocked a brow and opened the door. “Why?”
He shrugged and smiled. “He thinks it’s a beautiful name and wants to call me that.”
That gave me a pause right there in the doorway, and I took in his expression, the little smile playing on his lips, the pinch of mischief, and…and just a bit of apprehension. He was waiting for something. My reaction. To what? The fact that he was growing fonder of Sloan for every day that passed?
I’d witnessed it for two weeks now.
“You’re cute.” I smirked faintly and touched his cheek. “But it’s no news to me that you’re developing feelings for each other, baby.”
I had no idea where they would ultimately land, and I wasn’t worried either. They could like each other, crave each other, love each other. As long as they could live together, I was happy. Anything beyond that was a bonus.
Archie was surprised at my answer, though he composed himself quickly. “I did not see that coming. I mean, not that I thought you’d disapprove or anything,” he added quickly, “but since we haven’t really discussed it…”
I chuckled and kissed him on the forehead, and then I was keen on getting inside. It was windy as fuck out here, and the trees surrounding our property weren’t quite enough to shield us from the gusts that tore freely through the open fields past the greenery.
Once inside the cabin, I unzipped my jacket and saw they’d started using the fireplace at the center of the room. Fall and winter were definitely when the cabin was the coziest. Books, blankets, an open fire, and an Irish coffee—a piece of heaven.