Tommy
Tommy read the message he’d gotten from Liam again and grinned. He couldn’t help it. He’d been so excited when the kid said he was willing to learn more. Tommy just knew it was going to be Liam. He’d been trying for over a month to find a good boy for Cash, and he’d chatted up several of them, but none of them felt right and none of their kinks aligned as closely as Liam’s did. He must admit, at least to himself, he was a bit worried about the kid’s age. Cash never dated anyone younger than twenty-one, but this kid was only three months from it, and by the time he showed up, if he showed up, it would be down to two months. Surely Cash wouldn’t quibble about two months.
They’d arranged to talk on the phone right after he’d gotten the message. Liam admitted that he had a phone but no computer. Tommy knew if he had to sit there and tap out everything on his phone for any length of time, he’d go crazy, so he offered that up if Liam was willing to share his number. It turned out he was, and he was about to call the kid. He put his earbuds in and dialed. He was locked in his room “packing” while Cash was swimming in the indoor pool. He’d do a little packing just so he could say he did.
When Liam picked up, the kid sounded nervous. “Hello?”
“Hey, Liam. This is Tommy. How are you doing?”
“I’m okay. Nervous, I guess.”
Tommy smiled at his honesty. “It’s all right. Don’t be nervous. We’re just chatting for now, and I can answer any questions you may have.”
“I guess my biggest question is, won’t he be mad when he finds out what you’re doing? I don’t want to get there and have him be mad at me.”
“No. He won’t be mad at you, he’ll be frustrated with me for trying to fix things for him. But in the end, he’ll know it was done out of love and won’t be mad. It’ll be all right, Liam, I promise. He’ll be expecting you.”
“Okay. I’m just nervous. This is a huge step to take; I don’t even know you or him, and it feels like it could end in disaster.”
“I understand. But I promise you, it won’t end in disaster. Listen. All I can do is tell you about him, teach you how to be the kind of boy he needs and wants. If at any time it starts to feel like you aren’t a good fit for him or you don’t like what you find out or even if you just change your mind, you can stop this.”
There was silence on the other end, and Tommy almost asked if Liam was still there when he finally heard him say, “But if I change my mind, you won’t have anyone for him, and it will be my fault.”
“No, Liam, it would be my fault, not yours. There is no guarantee you’re going to want to move when the time comes. You may not feel like it’s the right thing for you. There’s also no guarantee that I’ll feel you’ll be the right fit for Cash. And, for sure, there were no guarantees I’d find anyone when I started this search. If it doesn’t work out, we can both say we tried and that will be that. Let’s just get to know each other.”
Liam’s “okay” didn’t sound convincing, so he continued, “I promise there will be no hard feelings. I won’t be telling Cash until we’ve discussed everything and you’re one hundred percent on board, so if you decide not to come, he’ll never be the wiser.”
Liam let out a relieved breath and said, “All right.”
Tommy smiled and asked, “Feeling better?”
“Yeah. Thanks. I just want to make sure we cover all the bases, and I know what I’m getting myself into.”
“You’re welcome. And, of course, I’ll probably end up giving you too much information, if anything. These are just conversations we’re gonna have. I don’t expect anything from you except to keep an open mind.”
“Okay. That sounds good.”
“Good. So why don’t you start by telling me how you learned, at such a young age, what your preferences are.”
He listened as the kid explained the video from long ago, and how it started him on the path of researching everything he could find on the subject. Tommy liked listening to his voice and knew Daddy would too. He had a sweet innocence to him that Tommy knew Daddy would love. Something he’d never possessed but played up in many of their scenes. It would be a turn on for Daddy, no doubt.
He asked Liam more questions, so he could understand and get to know him. The kid had to figure out if he could even make the move, and Tommy also had to figure out if he was the right fit. But, the more Liam talked, the more Tommy liked him. He was a smart kid and an extremely hard worker. Three jobs at age twenty was nothing to sneeze at. Frankly, Tommy didn’t know how he had the energy. On top of that, being what basically amounted to the sole breadwinner for the family, along with taking care of his sister and his alcoholic mother, was more pressure than someone like Liam needed, and not once did he complain about it.
They ended up talking for a couple hours even though he already liked him and felt he would be the perfect fit. The boy needed a Daddy like no one else he’d ever met, and he seemed to be self-aware enough to know it, which was even more impressive. Tommy had never needed Cash like that, and Cash needed someone who truly needed him. He could see how protective Cash would be as his partner, and how nurturing he’d be as his Daddy. Tommy could see them falling in love. Really, truly, falling in love. He wanted that so much for Cash. He deserved it.
After he’d gotten to know Liam better, he’d found himself explaining his relationship with Cash. Admitting that there had always been something missing between them. He loved the man, fiercely, and they’d fallen into the perfect relationship for each other. They were exactly what the other needed, for a time. He needed and wanted a Daddy, and Cash’s kinks aligned close enough to his own that it worked for them. Though he admitted to Liam, they didn’t match as closely as Liam’s did with Cash’s.
At the time, they were both looking for Mr. Right Now, not Mr. Right. It seemed the perfect fit. And later on, when they both probably were ready for more, ready for someone new, they stayed together because of the love they’d built and the ease of their relationship. But the second he graduated from culinary arts school, Cash sat him down and told him about an apprenticeship he arranged for him if he was interested. An opportunity overseas that Tommy would never turn down.
Cash knew he’d be interested, and Tommy knew what it meant and why Cash had done it. He was the one that would let go so that Tommy was free to live his life and find someone new. He loved the man even more for that. And he knew it was going to be good for both of them. They couldn’t stay together forever. If he stayed, they’d eventually end up making excuses to stay together and to never truly try and fall in love. He’d taken the opportunity, the biggest one of his life, and thanked Cash profusely, knowing that he worked hard to get it for him.
It saddened him that his time with Cash was nearly up, but he admitted to Liam that he was more excited for his future than he’d ever been, and Cash was excited and happy for him. He didn’t want to just leave him without doing his best to find someone suitable for him, even if he didn’t know he needed the help. He wound down their conversation, saying that so far Liam seemed like the perfect fit, and he hoped he was looking forward to learning more about Cash and about what it truly meant to be his boy. Liam assured him that he was, and they scheduled a time to chat in a couple days.
Liam
Several weeks had gone by and Liam was feeling more hope for the future than he’d ever felt before. He and Tommy talked all the time, sometimes about nothing at all but their days. They texted with each other and had become close rather quickly. They joked that instead of a trial by fire, it was a friendship by fire. The more he got to know Tommy, the more he hoped they’d continue to be friends, no matter what happened with him and Cash in the end.
Tommy was funny, smart, witty, and so supportive and patient with him. He’d asked to see more pictures of Cash, and Tommy had sent him an email with lots of them, including some with Tommy in them as well. He’d gotten to know them both so well in such a short amount of time. And the more he got to know about Cash, the more he’d already begun to have feelings for the man. He warned himself that it wasn’t a good idea to get attached to a man he’d never met and may never meet, but no matter how he tried to guard his heart and talk himself out of it, his feelings were involved already.
He knew Cash’s likes and dislikes. He knew how to best serve him. He’d learned the foods he liked to eat, and the chores Cash would expect his boy to do. He’d learned what turned him on most and what displeased him in bed. He’d learned that there were House rules and Daddy’s rules, a whole list of each, and he’d memorized them all. He’d continued to read online about relationships similar to the one he hoped to enter, but there was no better way to learn than the source, and Tommy continued to be patient as he asked questions that probably seemed silly and pointless to him but went a long way in assuaging Liam’s fears.
As the time to make his final decision drew closer, he grew increasingly nervous. His sister saw it and Tommy heard it in his voice as well. They’d both done their best to calm him and reassure him, but no matter what they did or said, so many questions and possibilities of what could happen ran through his head in a loop.
Would Cash like him? Would he be able to please Daddy? Was he attractive enough for Cash? Would he remember all the rules? Would Cash hug him when he saw him? Or would he be angry when he showed up? Would he be able to cook well enough for him and do his chores correctly? Would his sister be all right without him for a little over four months until she graduated and moved to Boston? Would he be able to find a job that could continue to support his sister and his mom when he left? Would his savings be enough to keep his sister from having to work more hours than she already did?
On and on and on it went. The irony of it all was that, while all of those things made him nervous and stressed him out beyond belief, the thing he worried about most was the cooking. Which he knew was ridiculous, but as time continued to fly by, he started to watch cooking videos and spend more money on food so he could practice when he was home, which wasn’t often. He knew he wasn’t great, and the more he practiced, the more obvious that became until it was nearly all he could think about.
Tommy had assured him it wasn’t a big deal and had tried to make a joke of it, saying he’d never be as good as a trained culinary chef and that Cash could cook just fine, or he’d hire a chef. But he couldn’t stop worrying about it and had nearly become obsessed. Time was nearly up, he had two weeks left, all of which he needed to spend packing because he was barely home enough to sleep, let alone pack himself up to move from the only house he’d ever lived in. How had he accumulated so much stuff?
He was more nervous than he’d been in his whole life and equally excited for the changes to come. Even with all of his doubts, he’d made his decision and knew it was the right one. He was taking the chance. If it didn’t work out, he’d be able to leave and move back home before Ciara needed to have her decisions in to the colleges she’d been accepted to. He felt sure enough the night before when Tommy asked, “How are you feeling? Time is moving so fast and I don’t want to pressure you, but I’m so hopeful you’ll make the decision to come and be what Cash needs. What do you think?”
He was quiet for a few seconds and finally said, “I think I need to start packing.”
Tommy didn’t respond, as if the answer shocked him, and then he was whooping and hollering, and from the racket Liam heard, jumping up and down. He remembered it all so vividly because that was the first moment he heard Cash’s voice, asking what could possibly be making Tommy so excited that he needed to scream the house down.
That voice had melted him. It was so deep. He could hear the emotions in it. It was amused, exasperated, and sweet all at once. He could picture the indulgent smile on Cash’s face as he watched Tommy celebrate something he had no clue about. Tommy had recovered somewhat and said in a demure voice, “Nothing, Daddy. Just a little surprise for you.”
He heard a low rumble near the phone and realized Cash must have moved closer. Then he heard the sexiest growly voice he’d ever heard, “You know how Daddy feels about surprises. Finish up in here, boy. I’ve got plans for you.”
That voice went straight to his dick. His mind didn’t seem to care that it was for Tommy and not him. He couldn’t even fault Tommy for being breathless when he said, “You made the right decision, Liam. Pretty soon he’ll be saying these things to you, and you’re gonna love his plans. I promise.”
They’d gotten off the phone, and Liam was only mildly embarrassed to find himself jacking off thinking of the two men in bed together, Daddy telling his boy all about his plans. God damn, he’d never wanted plans to be made for him so much in his life. And, yeah, he probably should have felt weird about having heard that and having it be for Tommy. But, he couldn’t fault Tommy for any of it. The guy was doing everything he could to make Cash happy when he left, and Liam had absolutely no doubts Tommy was ready to move on.
Tommy talked about moving to Formentera almost daily, his excitement was infectious. Liam smiled, remembering Tommy telling him how eager he was to learn from one of the best of the best in Spanish cuisine at a Michelin star rated restaurant. He’d wanted to live and study in Spain for as long as he could remember, his own Spanish heritage the driving force in learning everything he could. The chef arranged by Cash to mentor Tommy would also train him in traditional local cuisine and give him the tools needed to be a successful chef in his own right.
He couldn’t be happier for Tommy, and nothing could stop his excitement for himself, knowing he was moving towards a brand-new life. So when he heard Daddy’s voice for the first time, it was all he could think of. He knew the conversation could have been a disaster for someone else. He knew many people would have listened to that exchange and told him to run, but all it did was cement his decision to go. All it did was heighten his desire to be everything Cash needed.
The day had finally come. He was less than an hour away from his new home, and he couldn’t believe how nervous and excited he was. He’d tried to tell his sister he’d take a train or a bus so she could have the car. He’d mostly just made use of the single bus that made its trips around their town on a daily basis to get to and from his jobs, so she was used to using it. But she insisted on him taking the car, reminding him that he had too much stuff to take with him on a bus. Their mom’s car was there half the time anyway, so if Ciara needed to, she could use it.
The car had actually been their dad’s but was broken down when he’d left them. His mom had been working when it happened so he skipped town on the Greyhound, or at least that’s what they assumed he did. It stayed broken down in their driveway for several years until his mom decided to fix it so she could sell it. Once it was done, though, she couldn’t seem to part with it and had just handed him the keys and jumped back into another bottle.
He taught himself how to drive, and his sister as well. He hated not leaving the car for her in case she needed it, but when he thought about what the hell he’d do if everything went wrong, he knew he needed to take it. The jitters were taking over, his hands had started to sweat, the foot that wasn’t on the gas was bouncing, and he was popping bubbles with the gum he had in his mouth. He was a nervous wreck.
He knew he needed to calm himself down, so he got off the road at the next gas station and filled up the tank. He took a walk around and used the bathroom then grabbed a couple waters and a few meal replacement bars, knowing he’d eat and drink none of it. He knew it was a delay tactic, but he didn’t care. He’d do what he needed to do to get through the next hour, and then hopefully, things would be smooth sailing.
He hopped in the car and got back on the road. And man did time fly when he hoped it would crawl. He was there in what felt like fifteen minutes, but when he looked at the clock, it had taken an hour and five. He eased down the beautifully manicured street, the grass perfectly cut in diagonal lines that still showed up, even in the winter. What kind of wealthy voodoo witchcraft did that?
His phone’s navigation system had him pulling into a driveway which was long and curved off to the side of the house to meet the three large garage doors. His hands were shaking again, and he rubbed his damp palms on his jeans. Jesus, he’d been warned that Cash was wealthy, but he had to admit to himself he obviously didn’t understand what wealthy meant. The house was enormous, and Cash lived alone. Well, at least he lived alone after Tommy left and before he moved in, but how much space did one or even two men need?
He guessed that wasn’t the point. But holy cannoli, reality was biting him in the ass. He’d been nervous enough, but the intimidation factor just skyrocketed, and he realized this was going to be harder than he thought it was. As if it wasn’t hard enough. He took several deep breaths. He had to get ahold of himself. He slowly counted down from thirty, and by the time he was done, he was feeling more settled.
Cash was just a man, right? Just a man like any other. A ridiculously rich, extraordinarily kinky, beautifully sexy man, but a man nonetheless. Liam could do this. He could. He was prepared, he was expected, he was exactly what Daddy needed in a boy. He’d done his research, he’d done everything Tommy had asked him to do and more. This was what he’d been waiting for. For years, he’d thought about one day having an opportunity for a relationship like this, and it was virtually handed to him on a silver platter. He wasn’t about to waste it.
He got out of the car, and the gust of freezing wind nearly blew him over. He reached back into the car to get his winter coat and grab his backpack. He opened the back passenger door and yanked out his suitcase, and lugged the heavy thing around to the front of the house along the winding, meticulously designed walkway to the ornate, mahogany double doors that were flanked with narrow glass windows on either side and an arched window above.
He knocked and waited. And waited and waited and waited. He admitted to himself the knock was weak, and the house was huge, so he tried again. Nothing. Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit. He hadn’t prepared himself for this possibility, arriving to an empty house. Because, of course, no one was home. He was about to pick up his bag and go back to his car when he saw the doorbell. Duh. In a last-ditch effort to triple check that no one was home, he rang it and waited.