Seth (Johnson Family Rules, #3)

by Carly Marie

Zander: I haven’t talked to Seth on the phone since he left. Austin: He’s been preoccupied. Zander: What do you know, Pip? Austin: … Not my secret. Zander: Pip, do I need to send my boy over to get information out of you? Austin: No-pe. No info from me. Twinsies promise. We swore on King George’s third nipple. Zander: Gah! You two are so weird!

I poked him in the side. “You’re awful. You made me get up when all I really wanted to do was flop over, stick my ass in the air, and have your dick in me.” Mazdon sobered in a hurry as he watched me. “Is that so?”

“Your cock might be the thickest real dick I’ve ever taken, but do you really think I haven’t taken things bigger than you before?”

And I discovered a new fetish. Manhandling. Never would have guessed it would turn my insides to goo while making my heart flutter and ass twitch. Today I learned.

Mom had continually reminded Zander that he had to communicate with Noah. Zander had reminded Nathan that he shouldn’t be such an ass. And now it was Nathan’s turn to remind me of the rules. The question was, which one would it be? He stepped toward me, invading my space, and gave me a soft smile, letting his voice drop as though he was telling me a secret. “Be yourself.” He tapped my chest lightly. I finished the saying for him, my voice softer than his had been. “Because everyone else is taken.” “You got it, Squirt. If Mazdon is really worth your love, then he’s going to accept you just as you are. Don’t change that for him. There is no one else in this world that can be a better you.”

His gentle tone and soft eyes disappeared in the blink of an eye. Then he crossed his arms over his chest and, for long seconds, eyed Mazdon with cold eyes—though he would have looked a lot more intimidating if he’d been in a suit in the courtroom and not in a fleece onesie in Austin and Wilder’s kitchen.

Mazdon: Will it be a problem if I’m not home tonight? Dillon: I’m looking at a very naked husband on the couch. Stay. Please. Mazdon: Note to self, never sit on the couch again. Dillon: If we’re doing that, don’t eat on the island, or at the table, stay off the steps… oh and you should probably find a new bed. Mazdon: GAH! What the hell is wrong with you??? STAY OUT OF MY ROOM!

Seth got fuzzy socks, slippers, and a long nightshirt that looked like his jersey. I hadn’t noticed that “Grabowski” with a giant thirty-four was on the back until Seth tossed the wrapping paper at Austin’s head and gave an exaggerated groan. I’d barely made my name out when Seth pulled it to his chest and hugged it tight. “Definitely my favorite number. Well, maybe my second favorite.”

Larson pulled a fake log stuffed with little mushroom toys out of a gift bag. Canyon groaned, but Larson’s face lit up like he’d just been given the world. “Thank you!”

I’d never seen anyone so excited to get a blanket or toys before, but the big guy nearly tripped as he tried to get up to give his brother a hug. Canyon’s warm smile was a contrast to his words. “Just what he needs, more fucking mushrooms.” Larson had given up getting to his feet and crawled across the floor to wrap his arms around Zander’s waist. Seth awwed with the rest of them, then whispered in my ear. “Canyon can’t stand mushrooms, but his mom started giving Larson all these mushroom toys. Now everyone buys him mushroom things and Canyon has to keep pretending to be annoyed, but he’s really not.”

Christ, I should have expected this. I grew up with you all. Skates in the oven, ball caps and athletic cups in the dishwasher. I should have expected a bunch of dildos!” There was a short pause before the voice spoke again, that time full of confusion. “Why do you have that many dildos?” A number of mouths in the living room opened like they were going to say something, and the voice in the kitchen called out. “Do not! Do not answer that! I don’t want to know!”

From the kitchen, a gasp turned into a squeal of delight. “Oh my god! Santa came early.” Seconds later, Austin returned to the living room with an armload of dildos, grinning so wide it hurt. One of his brothers followed behind him, looking shell-shocked and uncomfortable, and I had to guess he had been the one to find them. Austin paid no attention to his uncomfortable brother and began going around to each person in the room, handing out dildos. “And you get a dick, and you get a dick, and you get a dick.” He arrived in front of Mallory and Laura and paused, looking at the dildos in his hand, then back to them before finally shrugging and dropping a dildo in each of their hands.

He picked up another and waved it around the room. “Dicks for everyone! Now I understand why Oprah always liked to give everyone in her audience free stuff. This is so much fun!” He turned to find his horrified brother standing behind him. “Oh, you most certainly get a dick. You need one.”

Austin came over to where Seth was doubled over. “Except you. You don’t get a dick. However, your boyfriend can have another.” Seth finally sobered enough to get words out. “Oh no, I don’t need any more dildos, thank you very much, you super shower schlonger! Do you have any idea how long it took to get that giant dildo off my floor?”

“Deck the halls with festive dongs. Bo-oi-oi-oi-oi oi oi-ing, Everywhere you turn it's lots of schlongs, bo-oi-oi-oi-oi oi oi-ing.”

With Seth in my arms, loud chatter all around me, and a dishwasher full of dildos in the other room, I was pretty sure I’d found my place.

A gentle hand landed on my shoulder and I looked to see who was there. Laura’s eyes were sparkling with laughter as she whispered in my ear. “If your sibling having sex in your bed bothers you… this probably isn’t the family for you. Seriously, Austin walked in on Nate giving Elliot a blowjob one day at the office.”

Seth wriggled around and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, then licked my cheek. “Nope, you don’t get to scare him away. I licked him. He’s mine.”

“When we talked about it in text, you told me that you weren’t opposed to ass play because you had toys, but that you had never had a good experience as a bottom, so it wasn’t something you could swear you liked. I’d told you it didn’t matter because I was a very happy bottom. And I am a very happy bottom, but I’m also a very happy top. If you want me in you, then I will gladly fuck you senseless.”

Above me, I could hear Mazdon encouraging me, and on some level I was aware of the way he continued to rock against my dick as I emptied into the condom between us. It all felt far away, my orgasm so powerful that every concrete thought and feeling in my brain escaped into the condom.

Two months earlier, I’d been considering retirement, all but writing off any chance of a professional career. I’d defied all odds to make it this far and stay here. Along the way, I’d met a man who had turned my world on its head before I ever knew his name. What were the odds that the man would be none other than Seth Johnson? Infinitesimal at best.

I do want you to know that I love you. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same right now because I know it’s too soon. But I can’t deny my feelings and I want you to know that I’m in this as long as you are. I’m confident we can make this work. You’re my Pretty, and you’re worth any obstacles that stand in our way.”

“I love you, Mazdon. Fuck what the rest of the world might have to say about it. I love you.”

The kiss hadn’t been as long as I’d have liked, yet far longer than it ever should have been, when Seth pulled back. His happiness hadn’t dimmed, even in the face of the confused look I gave him. “You know that kiss is already trending, right?” He laughed, finally untangling his legs from my waist and dropping to the ice. “In at least four different countries. It’s probably already on the front page of ESPN.”

I hadn’t expected Seth to out us on home ice after a huge win, but that was what had happened and it seemed fitting for us. Nothing about our relationship had been expected. Nothing had followed a plan or a book or a rule. We’d fucked before we’d had names and fallen in love before ever knowing the other person in real life. We’d moved in together after a few days and shared I love yous in the first week.

I had a feeling this was how our lives would be playing out for years to come, a surprise around every corner. I was going to hold on and enjoy the ride because there was no one else in the world I’d want to take this ride with.