Carter was perched on Grant’s lap, cuddled into the Dom’s arms. He stayed close to Grant, but was gradually getting more talkative and laughing at Wyatt’s antics. Every so often, Carter would wave his hands around or say something, making Wyatt laugh. At first, he would look around to see who was watching them, but after a while, he didn’t seem to even think about it.
Troy thought it probably helped that, aside from Oliver, they were the most conservative-looking group in the club lounge. The variety of half-naked to completely naked subs also included a handful of pups and even a few age play couples. Carter’s lingerie and makeup were not the most colorful things in the room.
Brent and Calen were more laid-back. Brent was dressed very similarly to Bryce, but was kneeling on the floor by Calen. They were mostly lost in their own world, talking to and teasing one another. Their heated glances let everyone know those two would be heading off to find some privacy sooner rather than later.
“How are the plans going for next month?” Bryce leaned forward, talking to Garrett.
Garrett rolled his eyes, but Wyatt perked up and started talking a mile a minute with dramatic hand movements that made Troy want to smile. “It’s good but a little frustrating, and we wanted something intimate but she wants something classy, and she’s going a little over the edge.” He took a breath, then charged right back in. “I kept it small, but she won on the clothing and she said you guys had tuxes but I wasn’t sure, and I think it’s going to end up being expensive and I’ve told her it’s not a wedding but she’s not listening. I’m not losing, though. Just on the tuxes and how formal it is.”
Wyatt looked up at Garrett like he was starting to realize he might not have won after all. Garrett smiled, reaching out to stroke Wyatt’s face. “You did wonderful standing up to that freight train. You kept it small and stopped her from renting that banquet room.”
Nodding, Wyatt settled back down. “She’s…Well, she’s your mother, but…”
“She’s a menace who needs a hobby.” Grant spoke up, laughing when Carter frowned at him.
“Grant!”
“Hey, that’s me being nice.” Grant cocked an eye at Carter. “What were you saying last week when she came into the store?”
“Shh, I want her to like me.” Carter looked around like he didn’t quite trust the rest of them not to tell on him.
Grant just beamed like a proud parent whose child was finally learning about the world. Troy was starting to agree with Wyatt and Carter, Bryce’s family was weird. But they were loving and open, so he was making an effort not to let them know how crazy they were.
Some days were harder than others.
Like the dinner where Wyatt and Garrett had announced their plans to have a collaring ceremony. When Bryce’s mother calmly asked if they were having an old-fashioned ceremony where Wyatt would be naked, Oliver almost fell out of his chair and Troy hadn’t been far behind him.
Everyone else seemed to think it was normal, while Wyatt blushed trying to explain that they weren’t going that far. Carter hadn’t been much better than Troy and Oliver. He’d tried to cover his laugh with a cough, but he’d choked and Grant had gone overboard trying to make sure he was okay.
It had gotten Wyatt out of the hot seat, but it had taken Oliver forever to get himself under control. The whole collaring ceremony was turning into a circus and he thought most of the family agreed. None of them wanted to tell their mother no, though.
Looking over to his boys, Troy decided that when they had a formal ceremony, it would be done like an elopement and they would only tell Bryce’s family at the last minute. He wouldn’t fight with Bryce’s mother about how it should be organized. It would be the closest thing he and his boys would have to getting married and he wasn’t going to let someone else butt in.
Not that he’d mentioned it to the boys.
Oliver was starting to give him looks like he knew what Troy was thinking, but Bryce wasn’t quite ready. In the two weeks since Bryce had come home, realizing they needed to talk about his concerns, things had improved dramatically.
Bryce was more open with what he was feeling and what he needed. Troy hadn’t even felt the need to restrain the boys to the bed so they could talk since that evening. He was planning on rewarding both the next day when Bryce as well as Oliver was submissive.
As they’d talked, they’d found that having a schedule would feel better to Bryce and Oliver. Bryce thought that it would be too hard to change from being in control at work to submitting at home in just the course of a short drive. So they’d decided that, in addition to any time he was over at their house during the week as a Dom, he would spend weekends with Troy and Oliver where he would submit the entire time.
Waking up tied to the bed, even for a few minutes before Troy released them both, helped Bryce to switch over in his head. Troy had even stopped being such a stickler for dates being more about getting to know each other and less about scenes.
“You guys aren’t going to do any better when she gets her paws into you.” Garrett was frowning at the group, but giving special attention to Brent and Calen.
“What? Why us?” Brent shot him a frustrated look.
Troy was wondering the same thing. If anyone was going to be having some kind of a ceremony, he thought it would be Grant and Carter. Carter was still a little nervous, but Grant was determined to keep him close. There wasn’t a better way to let a submissive know you were incredibly serious than to have a ceremony.
“Because she said she’s been watching you two flirt for years and it was time for you to settle down.” Garrett looked like he’d won the lottery when both Brent and Calen looked at him in shock.
“What?” They spoke at the same time.
Oliver was giggling as the drama unfolded. Troy could understand; it was always like watching a TV sitcom. He’d always thought his own family was frustrating until he’d meet Bryce’s. They made his look easygoing and normal.
Their kind of special didn’t make him feel unwanted or odd, though. It was something he appreciated.
As the rest of the group started debating Brent and Calen’s love life, Troy looked down to his boys. He lowered his voice, focusing on Bryce but knowing he had Oliver’s full attention. “I think I heard a rumor that the viewing room with the spanking bench is open.”