Page 57 of Leather and Longing (Island Tales #3)

December

The dining room had never looked so full, with ten people sitting around the table.

It had been Adam’s idea to invite their friends for a birthday lunch, and Paul had been delighted when everyone had accepted.

Taylor, David, Mark and Sam sat on one side, Eric, Shane, Jason and Mikey on the other.

He and Adam sat together, squashed in at the end

Paul loved how his friends had taken Adam to their hearts.

It was rare for a week to go by without two or more of them popping by for a visit.

Eric and Adam would often go out on the boat whenever the opportunity presented itself.

As for Adam, he loved it when Paul got together with his friends.

He said hearing Paul laugh and enjoy himself with them made him feel good.

“This is delicious, Paul,” Taylor said as he helped himself to more macaroni cheese and garlic bread. The others around the table murmured in agreement.

Paul held up his hands. “Nothing to do with me. Adam made it all.” Beside him, Adam buffed his nails on his shirt. Their friends laughed.

“Nice one, Adam,” David said, tearing off another piece of garlic bread.

Adam gave a modest shrug. “I’m glad you all like it. I really enjoyed preparing it, except for when I dropped all the grated cheese onto the kitchen floor, but Paul helped me scoop it all up and put it back on the plate. He said it would be fine.”

Silence fell.

Adam stared around the table. “Is that a problem? I mean, I know the floor could’ve been cleaner, but Paul was sure that wasn’t too much grit on it.

Whereas I was more concerned when he told me we had mice, because he’d seen little teeth marks in the cheese.

” After the silence had continued for a while, Adam grinned. “Gotcha.”

Paul shook with laughter. It wasn’t long before the others joined in.

“You sod, Adam.” Eric said, smiling. “You had me believing you.”

Adam preened. “Damn, I’m good.” He reached for the bottle of white wine. “Anyone need a top-up?”

“Here, I’ll do that.” Paul took the bottle from him. He winked at the others. “Adam’s idea of judging how much wine is in a glass is to stick his finger in it.”

“Hey! No giving away my secrets.” Adam smiled and leaned back in his chair while Paul filled all the glasses. He lifted his into the air. “Everyone? I have a toast. To the birthday boy.”

The others echoed his words, raising their glasses to Paul.

“Why aren’t your mum and dad here?” Jason asked.

“We’re having dinner with them tomorrow night,” Paul explained.

Adam had met them several times already, and he and Paul’s dad got on like a house on fire.

His mum had been slower to warm to him, but relations had improved once she’d gotten used to the idea of her son having a boyfriend almost the same age as her.

Paul couldn’t blame her, but when he looked at Adam, he never saw the difference in their ages.

He only saw the man he loved.

Adam cleared his throat. “You’ve got poor taste in friends, Paul, I have to say. They turn up to eat our food and not one of them brings you a present.” He coughed to mask the words, “cheap bastards” then coughed again. Loud laughter rang out from their guests.

Paul dug him in the ribs with his elbow. “Hush, you. The invites did not say ‘please bring gifts.’ They just said, ‘bring yourselves.’”

It was Taylor’s turn to clear his throat. “We were waiting until dinner was finished before we handed over our presents.”

“Oh, I see,” Paul groused. “And if the meal had been crap, I suppose you’d have kept them all.”

There was a moment’s silence, followed by splutters and coughs.

“Trust me,” Shane said amid chuckles, “there is no way these particular gifts will be going back home with us.”

Adam laughed. “This sounds good.” Paul gave him another dig. Adam leaned closer to whisper, “Before you give me bruised ribs, just remember who you sleep with—and what I keep in the bedside cabinet.” He grinned.

More splutters greeted his words. Paul knew his face must have been glowing, it was that hot. “Adam, TMI?”

Mikey burst out laughing. “Oh, that ship has long sailed. Taylor saw to that.”

Paul glared at Taylor, who flushed uncomfortably. “I might have told Eric and the gang about your… dark side,” Taylor said with an apologetic expression. The others snorted and chuckled.

Adam nearly choked on his wine. Paul was tempted to give him another dig but remembered his lover’s warning. He had a bad feeling about his unseen gifts.

“Me first!” Taylor had apparently recovered from his bout of shame. He handed Paul a small box wrapped in silver paper.

Paul tore off the wrapping, opened the box and… stared. “It’s a leash. A chain leash.” Adam snorted and Paul guffawed. “Don’t you go getting any ideas about putting a collar on me and leading me around the house with it.”

Taylor gave a small cough. “Uh, Paul? It wouldn’t be attached to your neck. This goes with it.” He handed over a second gift.

His heart pounding, Paul opened it and gaped at the contents.

“Well?” Adam demanded. “What is it?”

Paul sighed resignedly. “It’s a cock ring.”

There was a moment’s silence before all their guests laughed uproariously. Paul gave Taylor a look that promised retribution, but Adam was grinning like an idiot.

“Taylor, have I told you lately how much I like you?”

Taylor snickered. “Yeah, I figured you’d approve.” Adam gave him the thumbs up.

“Our turn.” Eric gave him a parcel. “This is from the four of us.”

Paul opened this one more cautiously and groaned when he saw what lay inside the pretty box.

“Oh, please, you have to tell me,” Adam begged.

Paul placed it into his hands. Adam ran his fingers over it and beamed. “Boys! Priceless!”

Paul growled. “Don’t encourage them.” He glared at his so-called friends. “A puppy dog tail butt plug? Really?”

Eric and the others were crying with laughter.

“God, I’ve never been so conflicted in my life!” Shane wiped his eyes. “Half of me is dying to see what this looks like, because, come on , a tail sticking out of your arse? But the other half keeps thinking, ‘ew!’”

“Stop it,” Jason begged. “I’m laughing so much my stomach hurts.”

“Our turn.” Sam handed Paul a small package, and the others leaned forward, eyes shining.

Paul gave it a baleful stare. “It’s come to something when I’m afraid to open my own presents.”

Adam leaned closer. “After the butt plug, how bad could it be?” he said under his breath. He bit his lip. “Nah, forget I said that.” Adam smothered a chuckle.

“Not helping,” Paul whispered back. He tore off the gold wrapping paper and sighed when he saw the image on the box.

“Oh, come on, I’m dying here,” Adam said, grinning again.

Paul opened the box and placed the fluffy-covered objects into Adam’s hands. Adam promptly burst into a peal of bright laughter. “Handcuffs! Excellent. You can never have too many pairs.”

Mark chuckled. “We should’ve given them to you, Adam. You’d probably put them to better use.”

Paul snorted. “Yeah?” He took them off Adam. “Well, that just goes to show you don’t know everything.” He gave Adam a quick peck on the cheek. “Do they, babe ?” Paul grinned. Adam mouthed tonight and Paul knew he was in for it when everyone had left.

Looks like my birthday will be finishing the way it started. Lucky me.

Well, only lucky if Adam removed his birthday present first. The key to Paul’s cock cage was hanging on a chain around Adam’s neck.

David guffawed. “Adam, I take my hat off to you. Nothing wrong with a little versatility, taken in moderation, of course.” He stroked up and down Taylor’s spine.

“Besides, it’s kinda nice to sit back and let someone else take the driving seat now and again, if you catch my drift. ” Taylor’s face flushed.

Shane shuddered. “I did not need that image in my head, thank you very much.”

“Yeah,” Jason added. “It’s bad enough knowing you’re gay. We don’t need to know about the details, all right?”

Mark snorted. “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re not the teeniest bit curious?”

“Not even remotely. Hetero and proud, okay?” Shane gave an exaggerated shiver. Mikey and Jason were nodding in agreement.

“What we’re all dying to know,” Taylor said with a grin, “is what Adam got you for your birthday.” A chorus of whistles and whoops followed his words.

“Yes, Paul, why don’t you tell them what I gave you for your birthday?” Adam said innocently.

Bastard .

Paul had an idea who might be the first to try out the handcuffs, and it wouldn’t be him. “One of my presents is behind you on the sideboard,” he said, pointing to the large soft toy dinosaur.

Taylor twisted around to glance at it. “Oh wow. An Adamosaurus. Is it an accurate representation?”

Paul snickered. “Let’s see. He’s big and strong… Yeah, it’s pretty accurate, except for one thing. The dick is missing.” He nudged Adam.

“Think how much extra fabric they’d need, though,” Adam added, smirking.

“And there you go again, lowering the tone,” Shane groaned. “Change the subject, please, anyone?”

“How’s the job hunting going?” Sam asked, before sipping his wine.

“Actually, I might have some news soon on that front,” Paul informed them. “I have a job interview next week at a nursing home in Sandown. They need a physiotherapist to start after Christmas, so keep your fingers crossed.”

“I had other ideas,” Adam said in his low voice.

He reached across the table for Paul’s hand and curled his fingers around it.

“I suggested Paul might want to think about setting up in business for himself, maybe working with a masseur.” He gave a shrug.

“It’s another way to go.” He squeezed Paul’s hand.

Paul lifted their laced hands and kissed Adam’s. “I love the idea, just maybe not yet. When I’ve had more experience.”

Adam smiled. “You will make a success of whatever you choose to do. I’m positive.”

Warmth spread through Paul on hearing Adam’s sincere words of praise, and his throat tightened. He coughed. “Now we’re all finished, I’ll go and fetch the birthday cake.”

“You want us to clear the plates?” Sam asked.

Paul shook his head. “You just sit there and enjoy the wine. I won’t be a minute.”

He pushed back his chair and pressed his lips to Adam’s fingers before releasing them. Paul hurried into the kitchen, his pulse quickening. Sometimes the realisation of how lucky he was overwhelmed him. Adam loved him, body and soul, and wasn’t shy about telling him so.

For a man who’d found it difficult to share his feelings a few months ago, Adam had come a long way.

Paul counted out the birthday candles and proceeded to stick them into the soft icing. Twenty-six candles were going to require a huge breath to blow them out.

Adam walked up behind him and slipped his arms around Paul’s waist, nuzzling into his neck and kissing him there. Paul couldn’t repress the shivers that rippled through him. Adam knew exactly what he was doing, the sod.

“Happy, babe?” Adam murmured, pressing his lips to Paul’s hair and kissing him tenderly.

Paul put down the candles and twisted in Adam’s arms, looping his around Adam’s neck.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” he said softly.

Their lips met in a gentle kiss with the promise of heat.

Adam reached down to cup Paul’s arse and squeezed, and Paul moaned.

“Hey, not fair. No turning me on when you’ve got my dick trussed up like a Christmas turkey. ”

“But that’s what makes this fun,” Adam said with a chuckle. “Just think of the relief when I finally take it off.”

“And will that be tonight?” Paul crossed his fingers.

“You’ve already had two birthday orgasms today. You want more? Greedy boy.”

Paul gave a low growl. “I’m going to remember this the next time you bat those long eyelashes and ask me to fuck you.”

Adam gasped. “You wouldn’t.” Then he grinned. “Of course you would.” He released Paul with a sigh. “Okay, maybe tonight then.”

“Did you call Caroline today?”

That pulled another sigh from him. “Yeah. She’s fine. Dean is still unemployed.” He snorted. “What a shocker.”

A least Adam and his sister were on speaking terms again.

Adam stepped away. “How’s the cake looking?”

Paul got the message. Change the subject.

He smiled. “I think version two is even better than version one.” The pink icing was the right shade for flesh, and the chocolate vermicelli sprinkled over the balls gave a fair imitation of hair. He put the last of the candles into position and went into the fridge.

“I still think using strawberry jam as the filling is just wrong ,” Adam said emphatically. “Can you imagine what it will look like when you slice into it?” He winced. “Doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Paul cackled evilly as he applied the finishing touch before lighting the candles.

“What are you up to, Paul Vaughan?” Adam asked, his brow wrinkled.

Paul regarded his masterpiece and grinned. “I added a cum shot using double cream.”

Adam burst out laughing. “Come on. Let’s go freak out some of our friends.”

The living room was alive with sound: laughter, glasses clinking, voices tumbling over one another. Back in the summer, Adam would have hated it. He’d have shut himself away, bristling at the reminder that the world carried on without him.

Now, he stood in the centre of it all, Paul’s hand warm and steady at the small of his back. That touch was all he needed to orient himself, to know he belonged here.

He’d chuckled at the roar of cheers as Paul set the cake down on the table. Paul’s laugh rang out above the noise, triumphant, wicked, unashamed. And judging by the applause, he’d managed to blow out all the candles with one breath.

He leaned toward Paul, his hand on Paul’s neck as he brushed his lips against Paul’s temple. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Paul only laughed, leaning closer. “And you love it.”

Adam wasn’t about to deny it. He loved the chaos, the ridiculous cake, the noise that once would have suffocated him but now felt like life itself.

I love Paul, more than I’d believed it possible to love someone. Especially when his world first went dark.

For a moment, he let himself simply breathe, feeling the warmth of Paul’s hand threaded through his. He’d thought his story was over.

But with Paul, it’s only beginning.

Adam pressed another kiss to Paul’s temple. “Happy birthday, love.”

Paul’s fingers tightened around his. “Best one yet.”

Adam knew there would be many more to come.

“Just so you know—if you ever make me eat my own genitals in cake form, we’re through.”

Paul cackled, unrepentant. “Oh, you love it.”

Adam pulled him closer, grin spreading. “Maybe. But next year’s cake? My choice. And believe me, I can think of something far worse.”

The End