“Good,” Cayson whispered. “I hope he sees your marks if there’s a next time.”
Calm.
Cayson
While he silently helped Quick clean up the dinner dishes, Cayson resisted the urge to touch the slightly inflamed skin around his neck. If Quick hadn’t been so upset, he would’ve seen how turned on Cayson was by his strength. He got a little nervous when Quick was breathing and counting, and all the while, his hand was squeezing tighter and tighter around his throat, but he was able to reach him through it all. His voice, his touch had calmed him. He knew he’d needed to tell Quick the whole truth about what happened in his office, he just hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. Quick acted like… like he lo—
“How about we get started?” Quick clapped his hands loudly, breaking Cayson from his thoughts. Quick wiped the last of the moisture off the kitchen island and hung the dishtowel over the handle.
Cayson swallowed nervously. He hoped he didn’t make a fool of himself. He was semi-coordinated, which sounded silly since he was a surgeon. He could perform a successful bladder cystectomy, but he feared he couldn’t execute a proper chokehold.
“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. I’m not gonna show you anything difficult.”
Cayson had changed into a pair of his alma mater’s sweats and a white wife beater. As Quick pushed a few pieces of furniture out of the way, Cayson couldn’t help but admire that amazing physique. The tight muscle shirt left nothing to his imagination. Quick’s arms were thick and defined, like two over-ripe grapefruits covered with tattooed skin. His legs like goddamn tree trunks under his loose basketball shorts. Cayson was hardly containing his drool when a hard fist pounded on the front door a couple seconds before it opened.
“Knock, knock!” Cayson heard Duke’s deep voice, then saw his handsome face peeking through the crack of the front door. He stepped in, pulling his own set of keys from the door. “Well, what’s about to go on in here that you had to move the fuckin’ furniture, dude?” Duke laughed. He was in a great mood, if his broad smile and teasing were any clue, and Cayson had a feeling it was the beautiful man coming in the door behind him who was the cause for his jovial temperament.
“Hey, Pops.” Vaughan moved around Duke, rolling his eyes. He and Quick embraced, their love and wonderful relationship easily visible. Cayson realized how much he missed his dad when he saw what those two had.
“Vaughan. You look tired, Son. How was work?”
Tired? The man looked like a superstar in his designer suit. Did he really just get off a plane? Just because his tie was loosened at his neck and his shirt was a little wrinkled, Cayson would hardly say the guy looked worn. And Duke’s hungry, dark eyes ate him up, no matter which way Vaughan moved. Cayson gave the young attorney a warm smile and he got a nice one and an even warmer hug back in return.
“Doctor. Duke was filling me in on the way home from the airport, and I insisted he bring me over. I can’t believe you have a stalker ex.” Vaughan looked genuinely concerned, and Cayson was glad they cared. Glad anyone cared.
Quick looked at Duke, annoyed. “You have the biggest fuckin’ mouth, man. Didn’t I say leave him out of this?”
Duke took off his skullcap and threw it, along with his coat, over the arm of the couch like they were staying a while. “He asked what’s been going on. What was I supposed to do… lie?”
“No.”
“No,” Vaughan and Quick said, at the same time.
“Not lie. Just omit some things. Big mouth.”
Duke shrugged, not caring what his best friend was beefing about. Instead, Duke ignored Quick’s tirade and pointed at the large, open space they’d made in the living room. “Um, again. Do I wanna know?”
“I was going to show Cays a few submissive moves.” Quick pushed his recliner back next, flicking off Duke when his friend started to laugh. “Don’t laugh at him,” Quick barked.
Duke straightened and retorted, “I wasn’t.” And sent Quick his own stern glare. After a while, Duke kicked off his shoes and rolled up the sleeves of his thermal. “Well, let’s show him some moves, black belt.” Duke winked, standing boldly in the middle of the room.
“It’s been a while since you sparred, Duke, you sure you wanna dance with me? And Vaughan has a black belt.” Quick tilted his head in Vaughan’s direction. “I’m way higher than that.”
“You make him sound like he’s in a beginner’s karate class, babe. My dad’s an eighth degree black belt.”
“Whose side are you on, prodigal son?” Duke frowned.
Cayson laughed, looking quizzically back and forth between the three of them. Eighth degree. What did that mean? It sounded badass, honestly.