Chapter Twenty-Six
Taine
After tugging on his boxers, Taine wandered through the flat to the kitchen. He didn’t want to leave Freddie on his own for long. Being even casually dominated for the first time could throw anyone for a loop.
Freddie stood by the counter with a beer in one hand and a strip of steak in his other. He grinned before grabbing a bite of the meat. “Hungry?”
“I see you’ve found your appetite again.” Taine handed over a pair of briefs he’d snagged from the dresser. “Wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.”
“Oh yes, a pair of pants usually keeps me warm at night.” Freddie took a swig of beer. “Want a bottle?”
Taine strode across the room to loop his arm around Freddie’s shoulders. “You doing okay? Not shaky or anything?”
“Am I supposed to be?” He shrugged before taking another bite. “I’m hungry.”
“Would you do it again?” Taine found himself hoping for a yes. He’d played with several partners casually and explored some of the clubs in London. It had never been with anyone who he might consider more than a once-off. “Maybe go a little further? Do a bit more?”
“Green.” Freddie grinned cheekily at him. “Maybe not immediately. I’m still convinced I sprained something.”
Ahh, good. Wouldn’t it have been utter shite if he said no?
The two men stood in the kitchen, eating steak and cold chips with their fingers. They shared the beer as well.
It was a bit more domestic than Taine usually went with his sex partners. Freddie, even as young and bunny-like as he was, brought a calmness with him. It became almost stupidly easy to relax in his presence.
A quick peek at his watch told him that they’d gone much later than intended. He’d arrived around seven, and now it was almost two in the morning. Time apparently flew when one had someone tied up in bed.
“Want trifle?”
“Trifle?” Taine asked after swallowing the last bite of steak. “What type?”
“The ‘whatever is in my fridge’ kind.” Freddie yanked open the door to his refrigerator and peered inside. He jolted forward into it when Taine swatted his arse. “Oi!”
“Problem?”
Freddie leaned back to reveal a chin covered in custard. “You knocked me right into one of the trifle layers.”
Taine grabbed him by the head, fingers tightening around his hair to ease him up. He bent slightly to allow himself the tasty pleasure of licking all the delightfully sweet custard from Freddie’s face. “Delicious.”
“Twmffat.”
“How about we dump all the ingredients on your body and I eat it off you?” Taine made a mental note to buy custard, whipped cream, and chocolate at the shop. He’d definitely be experimenting with all the yummy things it might be fun to use to cover Freddie’s body. “No?”
“Oh God.” Freddie winced visibly. “Don’t tease me. It hurts to get hard.”
“Good or bad hurt?” Taine lifted a knee up to rub it against the younger man’s pert arse. He smirked at the sudden hiss. “I’m guessing the former.”
“Bit of both.” Freddie moved away from the fridge with several bowls balanced in his arms. “Could you help? I’d rather not clean glass off the floor.”
Taine grabbed the custard, leaving Freddie with a bowl of strawberries, raspberries, and a pot of jam. “I can imagine a better use for all of these things.”
“I’m sure you can, but you’ll restrict yourself to putting them in a dish and eating them.” He set two smaller bowls on the counter and grabbed two spoons. “I’ve shortbread and a vanilla sponge. Any preferences?”
“Both.”
“You do enjoy indulging, don’t you?” Freddie flicked a dollop of cream at him. “Naughty, naughty.”
Taine rolled his eyes and snagged one of the bowls off the counter. He’d barely had time to lift one spoonful up to his mouth when the unmistakable sound of a key in a lock echoed in the flat. “Expecting someone?”
Freddie gripped the edge of the counter and looked as if he might pass out. “The only people with keys to my flat aside from the landlord would be my dads. I highly doubt it’s Neil. He’d call first.”
“And your dads wouldn’t?”
“Not when they already know I spent a week in Amsterdam with a much older man. Though, I can’t for the life of me understand why they’d leave in the middle of the night.” Freddie glanced around the room. He appeared to be in a panic. “We’re not wearing any clothes.”
“Pants.”
“Do you think my dads will honestly believe a pair of boxers and a pair of briefs count as being dressed?” Freddie glared at Taine, who continued to casually eat his trifle. “Aren’t you worried?”
“I’m a grown man. I stopped worrying about parents a long time ago.” He didn’t see the point in getting upset. They were both consenting adults. Yes, he’d struggled with the age difference himself, but surely loving parents would want to see their son happy. “Want me to go get our trousers?”
“And walk through the living room without me?” Freddie took a desperate swig of beer. “This will be embarrassing.”
“Freddie? Cariad? Are you here? We got worried and decided our visit couldn’t wait. Where are you?” Footsteps grew closer and closer. A man with the same dark hair and eyes as Freddie came to stand in the entry, staring wide-eyed at the two men in the kitchen. “Adam? They’re in here.”
“They? What do you mean ‘they,’ Fred?”
“They.”
“Dad. Tad. I’d like you to meet Taine Afoa.” Freddie sounded far more sure of himself than he had seconds ago. He gestured towards the two men. “Taine, these are my fathers. Adam and Fred Whittle.”
“Pleasure.” Taine could see the embers of anger beginning to burn in Fred’s eyes. Fred had definitely not been the one to gift his namesake with a calm and cheerful temperament. “We were about to have pudding. Would you care to join us?”
“I’d care for you to get your arse in some trousers before you explain what the hell you’re doing in my son’s flat. I’d wager you’re not five years younger than we are.” Fred didn’t make it further into the kitchen. His husband caught him by the arm to hold him back, whispering something into his ear. “We’d love to have tea while you finish your supper.”
“I’ll go get trousers.” Freddie squeezed through the small gap between his fathers.
Fred stayed in the kitchen while Adam followed his son. Those muddy brown eyes focused intensely on Taine. “What are you doing here?”
“Enjoying trifle.” He refused to be intimated or guilt-tripped. They’d done nothing wrong. “Your son is an impressive man.”
“He’s a young man.”
“Is twenty-six young?” Taine shot back.
“Younger than you by I’d wager at least ten years or more.” Fred folded his arms across his chest. He clearly wouldn’t back down anytime soon when it came to his son. “I’ll ask you again. What do you think you’re doing here?”
“Engaging in a completely consensual relationship with an adult.” Taine set the bowl aside, not wanting anything in his hands. “Why don’t you say what you’re thinking?”
“You perverted bastard.” Adam returned to the kitchen and flung a handful of rope at Taine. “Get the hell away from my son.”
Taine looped the rope around his arm. He’d taken the time to oil it to make sure it was not only pliable but unlikely to chafe. “You are aware your son is a grown man. Shouldn’t he be the one to make that decision?”
“You’re no better than a paedophile,” Fred spat at him.
“Stop it.” Freddie’s horrified voice came from the living room. He hopped into the kitchen, still trying to get one leg of his jeans up. “Could you give us a moment, Taine?”
Shell-shocked from the accusation thrown at him, Taine could only nod and vacate the room as quickly as possible. He found his jeans on the bed along with his shirt. It didn’t take long for him to dress and gather up all the items he’d brought with him.
The shouting in the kitchen grew from muffled voices to painfully clear ones. He decided it might be wise to allow Freddie to deal with his fathers alone. His presence would only exacerbate the situation.
“Freddie?” Taine waved the younger man over. “Give me a call in the morning, all right?”
“Yeah.”
Taine stepped out of the flat and stood staring out at the early morning sky. “Bollocks.”