Denise had specifically not been invited.
“I want to propose a toast. To all my family and friends who have gathered to eat with us today, thank you for joining us. I want this day to be fun, and I have a surprise for you all once it gets dark enough.” Kaden had been eagerly talking up the light display all afternoon.
He paused, gathering his thoughts. “This is a great day, and it’s the kind of day our lives should be filled with. I want you all to remember that for me. I feel blessed to have my beautiful wife and my best friend beside me. I love all of you, but these two people are my strength and my closest comfort.” He raised his glass. “To family, to friends, and to life. Cheers.”
Everyone joined him. Seth fought to control his rolling stomach. He’d noticed that lately, little jagged bursts of grief threatened to spill out sometimes when he could least afford to lose control.
Once everyone was up and taking turns going through the buffet line, Seth snuck inside the house to his room for a moment. He thought he’d gone unnoticed when he heard the tap at his door a few minutes later.
“Yeah?”
Kaden stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “You okay?” he softly asked.
Seth started to nod when it hit him. He hated himself for it, but he sat on the end of his bed and cried.
Kaden sat next to him and silently put his arm around his friend’s shoulders. When Seth composed himself a few minutes later, he apologized. “I’m sorry, dude. I shouldn’t be dumping this on you. I just… I couldn’t hold it back. I don’t know how you’re dealing as well as you are, man.”
Kaden smiled but it looked sad. “Who says I am? I’ve had twenty years of practicing putting on a poker face as a Dom. Plus I’m an attorney. We’re all good liars. It’s genetic.”
His comment had the desired effect—it made Seth laugh. Then they hugged, long and hard. Kaden patted him on the back. “Having you here makes it easier, believe it or not. I can see how good she is with you, and it’s one less worry. I really mean it when I say I love you.”
“Love you too, dude. Still not doing you.”
Kaden laughed and sat back, brushed his hands across his eyes. “Not doing you either, buddy.”
The men sat and looked at each other. “Happy Thanksgiving, Kaden. I’m glad we’ve still got you here. I hope you’re here next year.”
Kaden smiled. “That makes two of us.”
Chapter Eighteen
The week after Thanksgiving, Seth methodically worked at the oak tree with the singletail. It was one of Kaden’s favorite whips, a sixteen-plait six-foot bullwhip made of kangaroo hide, with a well-balanced handle. Seth seemed to have the most accuracy and control with it and worked to master it first before tackling some of the others. He’d gotten good enough he could nail all the balloons on the target without missing and now worked to fine-tune his control and aim with both hands, not just his right. He had also progressed enough that he was equally good in the three main throwing styles, overhand, reverse and forward crack.
Kaden lounged in the shade of another nearby tree. There were no Christmas lights or decorations this far back on the property, so Seth didn’t have to worry about accidentally snagging any wiring with the whip.
“Time for you to tackle a different target. That tree never did shit to you, buddy.”
Seth looked at him. “And what would you suggest? You told me when I could take the tips off leaves, I’d be ready.”
“I’d say you’re ready. You keep that up, I won’t have a goddamned leaf left on that thing.” He stood, then walked back to the house.
Seth continued practicing. A few minutes later, Kaden returned with Leah, who was now dressed in jeans, a heavy leather jacket, heavy leather gloves, and sneakers. Kaden carried another heavy leather jacket and a bottle of talcum powder.
As realization dawned, Seth felt his balls crawl up tight inside him. “Oh, hell no. I’m not using this on her yet!”
“Why not?” Kaden asked. “You’re good enough.”
“What if I hurt her!”
Leah smiled. “That’s sort of the point.”
Seth glared. “You know damn well what I mean!”
“You won’t hurt her through her jeans. That fall and popper can’t cut through denim. Not the way you’re throwing, at least. And that’s why I brought this.” He held up the jacket. “I’ll lay it over her ass while you practice. Once you’re sure on your distance, we’ll take it away and you can hit her on denim.”
Seth vigorously shook his head, nausea threatening. “No! I’m not ready to do that.”
Leah walked over and looked up into his face. Her eyes went wide. “Please?”
“Oh, no. Not the fucking puppy-dog eyes. Stop it!”
“Please, Seth?”
He clenched his jaw. “This isn’t fair. I’m not ready!”
She gently grabbed his collar and stood on tiptoe so she could kiss him. “Please, Sir? For me?” Her huge, green eyes melted him.
He closed his eyes and swore. “All right. But it’s your ass.”
“Thank you!”
Kaden laughed and handed Leah the jacket. She walked a short distance away and knelt on the ground, her rear facing them. She draped the jacket across her hips.
Kaden leaned into Seth. “You are so fucked, buddy. You know that? She’s got you wrapped around her little finger.”
“Look who’s talking.”
Kaden smiled. “Yeah, I know. Who’s really in charge, right? We’ve both got it bad.”
Kaden dumped some talc into his palm and laid the tip of the whip in it. “This’ll help you see where you’re hitting.”
Seth nervously gauged his distance before he threw, hitting her a little lower than he intended but on her right ass cheek. The faint white mark from the talc showed the strike.
Kaden nodded. “Excellent.” He grabbed the end of the whip, applied more talc. “Do it again.”
Kaden worked with Seth for fifteen minutes. Then Kaden removed the jacket from her ass and brushed the powder off. “Now, hit her like that.”
Seth’s nerves returned. “Man, I don’t know about this.”
“It’s okay. Go ahead.”
Leah looked like she was in heaven, the thuddy and not at all uncomfortable impact through the multiple layers of clothing nearly putting her in subspace despite the lack of an ongoing scene and relatively minor discomfort. She wiggled her ass at Seth. “Please, Sir.”
He took a deep breath. “All right.” On his first throw he choked and pulled at the last second, sending it wide and to the left.
“Stop.” Kaden walked over to him. “Don’t hesitate. That’s when you will hurt her. Or yourself. You changed at the last second. Just picture where you want it to strike and don’t hesitate. If you’re going to hesitate, it’s better to wait and not throw than it is to throw badly.”
“All right.” Seth tried again, this time hitting her exactly where he intended, on her left cheek.
Leah wiggled her ass at him and made a content sound.
“You okay?” Seth asked her.
“Ohhh yeah.”
Kaden leaned against another tree, out of the whip’s range. “She’s going to jump us once we’re finished, so you might as well nail her good now.”
After a few throws, Seth didn’t need the talc anymore. He slowly gained confidence as he took his time, carefully placing each strike to hit as close to the fleshy center of her ass cheeks as he could.
Kaden could easily go after her bare flesh. Seth knew it would take him some time—and a hell of a lot of practice—to reach that degree of confidence in his abilities.
After twenty minutes, Seth’s arm and nerves had reached their limit. He coiled the whip. “I’m done. I need a break.”