“Don’t getmein trouble!” Wyatt was starting to understand that getting Garrett in troublewas the goal.
Brent laughed so loudthat it drew attention from several other tables. “Now you’re learning. That’sa better argument.”
Huffing, Wyattgave them dirty looks before going back to picking at his pasta. “You guys arenuts. It’s like learning a foreign language.”
“Family’s fun.”Bryce grinned, then started to cut into his steak.
That earned a skepticallook from Wyatt. “Funny ha-ha or funny nuts?”
Carter was nearlyrolling on the floor, his burger long forgotten. He couldn’t help it. Wyatt fitright in with the rest of the brothers, but it was going to take Carter a whileto get used to the dynamics. Carter wasn’t sure if he’d ever fit in as easilyas Wyatt did, or if he even wanted to, but Wyatt was meant to join their crazyfamily.
“Both.” Brent andBryce spoke at the same time, then laughed.
Wyatt shook hishead. To Carter, he looked like a parent who was getting to the point of beingfed up with his kids. Time to change the subject by throwing himself under thebus. “Grant keeps talking about going up to the club. Is he actually serious,or is it one of those things he talks about but it never actually happens?”
They all perked upand looked at Carter like a bunch of puppies hearing the treat bag rattle. Hetried to keep a straight face, but he wasn’t sure it worked. Wyatt spoke upfirst. “Yes. Club trip.”
Bryce and Brentboth nodded. Bryce spoke up. “He’s serious. We used to go a lot more often. Thestuff with Wyatt and Garrett, and with Brent and Calen, got thingssidetracked.”
Brent gave Carter anunderstanding look. “It’s not as bad as you’re probably imagining. You won’t begoing by yourself, and if it’s too much, just tell Grant. He’ll understand.”
“We’ll be therefor you. Unless you want us to back off so you can have some fun.” Bryce gaveCarter a big shit-eating grin. “We’ve gotten good at backing off so thingsdon’t get weird.”
Carter couldn’timagine things not being weird. Not only was he going to a BDSM club withhis…boyfriend…lover…maybe Dom…he was going with his—significant other’s family.It was the strangest thing he’d ever considered doing. Even with all of Wyatt’spushing, he could only see himself doing it for Grant.
That, more thananything, let Carter see how much Grant was coming to mean to him.
As much as he foughtto keep the steamrolling Dom at arm’s length, he was starting to get underCarter’s skin. He wanted to make Grant happy, but he was also getting tired of feelinglike he was holding himself back.
He was comfortablewith who he was, but it had been a hard-won comfort. He’d all but lost his familyand didn’t have that many close friends. Everyone wanted you to fit into a neatcategory and when you didn’t, they gradually found reasons to drift away. Sure,some of it had been his fault for not trying harder to keep friends in his life,but when they hadn’t understood, why should he?
Wyatt hadunderstood.
Even when hehadn’t, he’d refused to be ignored. Even if it was something as simple as havingfound another strange soul to make him feel more normal, Carter was gratefulfor him. Maybe he should have gone with Wyatt earlier.
Knowing Grant wasgoing to be at the club made it feel different. Having someone to lean on andwho would take control made it easier. He wouldn’t have to be in charge or makeany decisions. He could leave everything up to Grant.
He just needed tomake sure Grant knew he was in control.
Maybe it was timefor a talk.
“I’m sure it willbe fine. Wyatt survived, so I’m sure I will, too.” Ducking when Wyatt threw aballed up napkin at him, Carter laughed.
“I’m not that bad.I had fun, which is more than I can say of some people who act like they’recloser to eighty than twenty.” Wyatt laughed when Carter threatened to send thenapkin sailing back at him. “At least I don’t have little old ladies trying tofix me up.”
Carter groaned.Brent and Bryce smelled blood and pounced on the gossip. Bryce spoke first.“What lady, and who was she fixing you up with?”
“She’s an olderlady who comes into the shop. She’s funny and looks so proper, but she’s adirty bird.” Wyatt grinned and shook his head. “She pretends to shop, but shejust wants to gossip and hint at the outlandish things she gets up to with herfriends.”
Carter jumped inwhen Wyatt took a breath. “She thought I needed to be fixed up, so she wasgoing to fix me up with the son of a friend of a friend. They found out he’sintointeresting thingsand thought I’d like to meet him.”
“What did they thinkwas so interesting?” It was clear Bryce was expecting something fairly innocent,so Carter loved the expression on his face when Wyatt started to explain. Bythe time Wyatt quietly whispered “Puppy play,” Bryce’s jaw was nearly on thefloor.
“How did they evenknow about that?”
Wyatt lifted hishands palm up and shrugged. “They looked it up online, evidently.”
“And they thoughtCarter would be a good fit?” Brent was looking at Carter like he was trying to visualizeit.
