“I will not play games with you. What you see is what you get. You speak up and tell me why not if something isn’t working or won’t work. Then we’ll renegotiate it. Unless or until you do that, I expect you to do what I say. If you’re not doing what I say, and you’re not safewording to renegotiate, I’m going to assume you don’t want us to be a thing anymore. Got it?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Ron kissed him. “I’m guessing you can’t call in sick to work so I can spend the morning fucking your brains out so you never want to think about leaving me, huh?”
“I wish I could, Sir. I have three procedures this morning. And that’s if I don’t have any emergencies.”
A soft sigh escaped Ron. “Gonna take me a while to get used to having a doctor for my guy. You sure you won’t get sick of me?”
He squirmed against Ron’s body. “I won’t get sick of you, Sir.”
“Knife stays with me,” Ron said.
Ivan wasn’t sure how to deal with that. He was used to it always being on him if he wasn’t in scrubs. A touchstone of sorts.
A promise to himself that he could get through things.
Except I promised him I wouldn’t do that to myself. “Please don’t get rid of it, Sir.”
“I won’t. Sentimental value?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“You understand there will be a talk about that at some point in the near future, right?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“How about I promise to keep it on me and I give you something of mine to carry around to remind you who’s taking care of you?”
Was this what hope felt like? A sweet, deep, swelling ache in the middle of his soul? “Yes, Sir. Please.”
“Stay right here.” Ron climbed out of bed and left the room. He heard him open a door in the hall, saw the glow from a light being turned on, and then noises like he was looking through something. Seconds later, the light snapped off, and Ron returned holding something.
He sat on the bed. “Sit up for me, buddy.”
Ivan did.
Ivan couldn’t see what it was, because of the way Ron held it, but it was strung on a black leather cord. Ron draped it over Ivan’s head, then brought the amulet to his lips, kissed it, and held it out for Ivan to kiss.
“This is mine. I don’t wear it at work because I don’t want it to get in the way. Last thing you want to do as an electrician is have bits of metal dangling from around your neck when you’re dealing with hot wires. But I wear it a lot of the time outside of work, and to my Viking events.”
Ivan studied it. It resembled an inverted T, but with a curve to the bottom, like the rocker on a chair. Heavy, the dark, rough metal looked like maybe iron.
“Mjölnir. Thor’s hammer.” Ron closed Ivan’s hand around it. “That’s a loaner.” He smiled. “I’ve had that one for years. It’s my favorite. I’ll get you something specifically for you. So…do you think that will help you, at least for today?”
Ivan felt the way the metal pressed into his flesh as he clutched it in his palm. It had some weight to it.
“Yes, Sir.” He couldn’t wear it during surgery, obviously, but then again he couldn’t carry the pocketknife around, either. He’d do what he always did and tuck it safely in his locker while he was in surgery, and then be able to put it on and hide it under his shirt after he changed.
“Good. Only take it off if you have to for a shower, or for work. Oh, spoiler alert—I’m not exactly religious, but I do consider myself a heathen. I hope that’s not a deal-breaker for you.”
“Considering I don’t even know what that means, I’m going to say no, it’s not.”
* * * *
Ivan gave him another of those adorable, faint smiles. Ron knew he’d be making it one of his personal missions to figure out how to make him smile and keep him smiling.
Ron sighed. “It’s only five thirty. I guess if I can’t talk you into staying home for sex, I’ll just have to give you a reason to want to come back here tonight.”
He rolled Ivan onto his back and crawled down his body to kneel between his thighs. “Oh, another rule of mine—you don’t masturbate without permission. Period.”
“That won’t be hard to follow considering I don’t do much of that now.”
Ron sat up again. “What?”
It was adorable that Ivan had the amulet clutched in his hand even now, nearly distracting Ron. “I’m not usually in the mood that often. Sometimes at the Toucan. I haven’t had much reason to be.”
Ron trailed a finger from the base of Ivan’s cock to the head, where a drop of pre-cum already pearled at the slit. “Looks like I have your interest.”
He nodded. “You do, Sir.”
“Excellent.” Ron kept his gaze focused on Ivan as he dipped his head and swirled his tongue around the head of the man’s cock.
What he wanted to do was lube his boy’s ass and put a load in there and claim him.
This would have to suffice, for now.
Ivan gasped, a shiver rippling through his body that Ron felt with his hands cupped around Ivan’s hips.
Oh, he wasn’t going to make his boy come right now.
Nope.
Ron was going to spend the next several minutes teasing Ivan, enjoying every drop of pre-cum he coaxed from him…
And then leave him hard and horny and with a raging case of blue balls.
He wanted his boy desperate and eager to return to him that evening.
Working his way along the underside of Ivan’s cock, from head to balls, Ron took his time tracing every vein and ridge with his lips and tongue.
“Please, Sir!” Ivan gasped.
“Please what, baby?”
“Please make me come!”
“Nope.” He chuckled. “You can wait until tonight. I want you to arrive home from work and tell me exactly how you want me to make you come. And I’ll do it. Any position or technique you want.”
He blew across the head of Ivan’s cock before lapping up another drop of pre-cum from the slit. “Whether you want me to fuck you, or you want to fuck me, or you want me to deep-throat you—whatever it is. That’s one of the things you have waiting for you tonight when you get back here. After we make a stop by your apartment.”
An adorably desperate squeak escaped Ivan. His hips had started rocking, trying to coax Ron into doing more.
Ron shoved Ivan’s thighs apart and he buried his face there, laving the man’s balls with his tongue and trying not to chuckle over the noises Ivan made in response.
Eager, needy noises.
Wanty noises.
Ron didn’t even care he wasn’t going to come this morning, either. The blue balls would be worth it to know every spare thought his boy had today would likely be of him and this.
* * * *
Ivan honestly never realized sex could be so much…fun.
Sure, it felt good—most of the time—but this wasn’t a means to an end.
This wasn’t a trade-off, something to be endured because he’d gotten what he’d needed.
This wasn’t something he’d feel he needed to wash off in the shower later.
This felt like he could claim it and own it and enjoy it, guilt-free.
Maybe I have been doing it wrong all these years.
When their alarms went off within seconds of each other, Ron sat up, pulling a moan from Ivan as he lost the contact of Ron’s warm mouth on his cock.
Ron shut off his phone, then handed Ivan’s to him. “There you go, buddy.”
“Calling in’s looking like a viable option.”
Ron kissed him and climbed out of bed. “If you want to grab a shower with me, you’d better hurry up. I’ll go start the coffee.”
That was enough to get Ivan up and moving.
Before they climbed into the shower, though, Ron wanted a look at Ivan’s thigh. Ron carefully peeled the dressing off and Ivan examined it.
“It’s okay, Sir.” It wasn’t really even sore this mo
rning, and he’d probably leave the dressing off from this point forward. No sign of infection, either.
“Do I need to take pictures of your legs to compare later?” Ron asked.
Ivan blushed. “No, Sir. I promised.”
Ron took the necklace off him and laid it on the counter, then pulled him in for a kiss. “We’ll get into a groove, buddy. I promise. Just keep breathing and keep leaning on me. I got you.”
By the time they were both leaving Ron’s about thirty minutes later, Ivan was wondering how his life had so drastically tilted on its axis in such a short amount of time.
And what might happen to ruin this dream.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Keeping his mind on his work?
Hell, Ron could hardly focus enough to drive Wednesday morning.
He couldn’t help but replay last night and that morning, every sweet noise Ivan made. How he’d sounded begging for release.
How he’d looked when Ron had given him the amulet to wear.
Getting home tonight would be even more of a priority. Maybe they wouldn’t do much talking tonight after all.
Maybe they’d spend it in bed.
They’d have a lot of time to talk, but Ron suspected he could easily convince Ivan to make this for life if he just kept showing him how good it could be between them.
Kimbra texted him a little after nine that morning, while Ron was sitting at a light while driving to his second job of the day.
??
Ron smiled and tried to think which emoji could best sum up how he currently felt and failed.
Call me.
The phone rang seconds later. “Well?” she drawled.
“I love you and want to have your baby, honey.”
Kimbra snickered. “You done did that, Viking dude. You’re my baby girl’s baby’s baby daddy. That is going to get confusing.” She laughed. “Or are you two gonna confuse it even more?”
“I think we’re quickly heading down that path. I didn’t mean to take things fast last night, but I kind of took them fast.”
“How fast?”
“Well, I haven’t fucked him yet. Do I get brownie points for that?”
“What’d you do?”
“I sorta collared him.”
“Jeezus.”
“It was with a Thor’s hammer amulet, though, and I told him to use it to think of me. I didn’t actually call it a collar.”
“That’s something, I guess.” She sighed. “Did you look at his legs?”
“Yeah. We had a discussion about that. I don’t know all the whys, yet, but that’s high on the discussions-to-have list.”
“Good.” She paused. “I think he needs someone like you.”
“I think I’m going to need both of you at certain points. For him. I haven’t even scratched the surface of his pain. I’m going to need the whole village gathered around him.”
“We’re here. And tonight we’re going to go talk to Eve’s family. We’re having dinner at her parents’ house, and Ev and Wylie are coming.”
“Oh, boy. Good luck.”
“I know. She’s a wreck this morning. I think they’re going to be more upset about her holding back for so long. My family is tomorrow night. Momma and Papi have something going on tonight.”
“Going with the IVF story?”
“That’s the plan. We’re going to tell them you and Ivan were the donors.”
“That’s a G-rated way of stating it.”
“Just wish us luck, boo.”
“You don’t need luck, hon. You’re a kick-ass attorney. You got this.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Somehow, Ron managed to focus on work again and didn’t burn anything down or electrocute himself in the process. Even better, a little before one, Ivan texted him a picture of a pretty good-looking chef’s salad with the caption, Lunch, Sir.
Ron smiled and texted him back.
Good boy. Thank you.
That earned him a smiley face in reply from Ivan.
That afternoon, Ron had to stop by Everett’s place to pick up his sword. He’d already made the arrangements last week to stop by, and after the revelations over the weekend he had honestly forgotten about it until that morning, when the reminder popped up on his phone. But changing it at the last-minute would be…weird.
Weirder. This whole situation was already weird to start with.
When he drove all the way back to park next to Ev’s shop, the side door was open and he heard the man working inside. Pausing, he listened, the loud clangs as Ev pounded metal driving straight through Ron’s body.
Here we go.
He stood in the doorway to let his eyes acclimate to the dimmer light inside. Ev stood at his anvil, working a piece of metal before returning it to the forge. Between the noise he was making, and the headphones he wore for ear protection, no way he heard Ron drive up.
Ron held up an arm, waiving, hoping to catch his attention and not wanting to startle him while he was working red-hot metal.
That could probably be used as a weapon to kill the man who’d knocked up his little sister.
Ron jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder, and there stood Wylie, smiling.
“You can flip the lights to get his attention.” Wylie reached over and did just that.
Ev turned and raised a hand in greeting. “Be right with you.”
Ron waved back.
“Saw you drive in,” Wylie said. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
It took Ev a few minutes to reach a stopping point. Meanwhile, Wylie departed again to take care of something on the homestead.
At least Ev’s not trying to stab me. So either he didn’t know yet, or he wasn’t upset about it.
Finally, Everett quenched the piece he was working on and set it aside, removing his headphones and his safety glasses. “Hey.” He walked over and shook with Ron. “Got it over here. Come on in.”
Ron nervously followed him into the shop, where Everett led him over to a workbench on the far side. On it lay several finished pieces, including a sword. He picked it up, grabbed a cloth to polish it, then handed it over, hilt first.
“Hope you like it.”
“It’s gorgeous!” He hefted it, feeling the balance, the way it fit his hand, and stepped away from the bench to work through some movements with it. “This is great!”
“I have fun making swords. I don’t forge as many of them as I wish I could.”
Ron put the sword down on the bench and dug into his pocket for his wallet. “That’s amazing work, Ev. Thank you so much.”
“If you ever want an edge on it, let me know. It’ll hold one.”
“No, this one will be for combat. I’d prefer it to be dull.” He counted out the bills and handed them over.
“Thanks.” Ev pulled his wallet out and tucked the money inside. “Although I might be needing you for backup.”
“What?”
He glanced toward the door and dropped his voice. “I haven’t said anything to Wy about this yet. Lara, Brad’s wife? You know, from across the street?”
“Yeah?”
“She’s my ex-wife, but we’re still close friends. She called me a little while ago to ask me why Eve would be looking to get the name of her OB doctor.”
An arctic blast slammed through Ron’s guts. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Dark storm clouds formed on Ev’s features. “We’re supposed to have dinner tonight at my parents with her. Not planned for a while, either. Last-minute. Eve called me this morning to see if we could all get together. Thought it was kind of odd, how insistent she was, but I didn’t think too much of it until I talked to Lara.”
Shit. “Well, I—”
“I mean, I know she’s been dating someone for a while now, but she won’t talk about the guy. I figured maybe he was married or something, or a fellow attorney. Why else hide it? But she’s an adult, and I didn’t want to meddle. But, seriously, if some guy’s fucking gone and knocked her u
p, I don’t care Eve’s an adult and taking care of herself. I’m going to fucking go after the guy. What’s the big fucking deal sneaking around? Is he fucking married or cheating or something? How’s a fucker like that going to take care of her and a baby?”
“Ev, I—”
“I swear, whoever the guy is, he fucking better be on his goddamned toes. That’s my little sister, and I’m not about to let some asshole ruin her life or leave her on the hook—”
“Ev! It’s…it’s me.”
The other man’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“It’s me. I’m the guy.” Okay, Eve and Kimbra were likely going to kill him for this, but it was shit gone sideways already.
“Wait, what?”
“It was that night we had the first Viking event here. We both got drunk off our asses and passed out in the Tin Can. The next morning, I honestly didn’t even remember what happened.”
Ev started toward him. “You fucked my little sister?”
Ron stepped back and held his hands up in front of him while praying this didn’t get physical. “She said it was more her than me. Dude, I’m serious, we were both totally wasted on mead, and… apparently it was enough. The weekend before, Kimbra had her own drunken encounter up at the Toucan, with Ivan, and—”
“Who?”
“Ivan. I’ll get to him in a minute. It shook Eve into realizing she was in love with Kimbra. They’ve been dating in secret for years, please don’t hit me, dude!”
Ev had stepped closer, both hands now balled into fists. At Ron’s words, it was like he finally realized what he was doing. He stopped, unballed his hands, and stepped back.
“You’re gay,” Ev said.
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
Ev stared at Ron for a long moment. “You’re telling me the side-piece Eve’s been dating is Kimbra Luzon? Walt’s ex-wife?”
“Yeah. Eve’s been struggling to fully commit to their relationship for a couple of years. She wanted kids, Kimbra didn’t. They’re both bi. It wasn’t serious at first, and fuck, they’re gonna kill me for telling all this to you. They’re not just dating—they’re married.”