Kingsley was a tall, very attractive Dominant. Former Navy, assertive, well-read, highly skilled with a flogger; he was the one who was supposed to demonstrate fire flogging at the Game when the weather turned so bad. And yet, he disappeared in a crowd. He was almost as quiet as River. He hunched down and observed. He only ever wore hoodies and jeans, and he looked like a stereotypical bad boy. You thought you were alone on the front porch of the estate, and then bam, he snuck out of the shadows.
It was how he’d become the second person to know I smoked on occasion.
I wouldn’t mind getting to know him better. I already knew my impression of him didn’t fill in nearly enough blanks. This was the guy who made a living repairing and installing elevators, but he’d also helped KC find a poem of all things for a birthday present KC once put together for my grandmother.
For now, I settled for listening. And discreetly figuring out where Tate sat. Given the hostility between him and Kingsley, I had a feeling they put as much distance between each other as possible.
“Daddy, we’re here!” I heard Noa holler.
A rush of joy swept through me, and I shook my head to myself. I still couldn’t believe how these two boys had changed my life—our lives. Cameron followed right behind Noa, and I drank in their happy smiles.
Patience—what a foul word.
While Noa plopped down across from us—actually, he never did. His bottom didn’t touch the bench. Instead, he crawled halfway over the table to kiss his Daddy hello, much to everyone’s amusement. I got a quick kiss too, before he sat down with a goofy grin.
Cam opted to join my side of the table to greet me, and soon I felt his arms around my shoulders.
“I missed you, Master,” he whispered in my ear.
I sighed contentedly and turned around. “No more than I missed you, darling pet.” I cupped his cheek and kissed him. “Tonight you’re all mine.”
All mine.
Because despite all love-induced thoughts of living together, spending our lives together, and even marrying this boy, I had to take him out on our very first date before anything else.
So while KC and Noa had plans to go to the National Zoo later and then catch a movie, I was going to steal Cam away for a culinary surprise. I’d made reservations at his favorite chef’s restaurant, where Cam would meet the man himself and get a book signed.
Not too long ago, I’d slammed up an internal wall to ward off any emotional attachments. I’d almost lost Cam in the process. Now I was getting my chance to show him I was going all out. I may be his Master, but he held my happiness in his hands.
For the first time in my life, I considered myself owned.