Flipping the Switch by Brigham Vaughn

TWO

Jude Maddox had grown into an attractive man.

Logan didn’t want to think too closely about that, since Jude was his best friend’s son after all, but there was no denying his good looks. For years, Logan had only thought of him as a kid. He’d been long and lanky growing up, with floppy blond hair, an infectious grin, and an outgoing attitude.

He’d matured into a handsome, charming man. As they’d looked over the blueprints, Logan had felt vaguely guilty for noticing the way Jude’s shirt skimmed along his long, narrow back and his jeans hugged his taut ass.

Logan had tried to ignore the long, slender fingers and bright blue eyes too. But it was the hero worship in his gaze that made Logan feel the most antsy.

Logan had arrived in Pendleton with the intent of rescuing Jude from the jam he’d gotten himself into, but he’d left the empty construction site feeling a bit confused. He wasn’t supposed to be checking out Jude. Jackson Maddox would wring his fucking neck if he knew Logan had the hots for his son.

But it was hard to think of Jude like he had before. He wasn’t a child now at all. He was a full-grown man. A man in a hell of a tough spot at the moment, but a man nonetheless. Jude was hard on himself, always had been, but only because Jackson was. He had sky-high expectations and, unfortunately, Jude had struggled to live up to them. It was the one consistent argument Logan and Jackson had over the years, but Jackson had always maintained it was easy for Logan to say when his son was a surgeon.

As if being a chef was something to look down on.

It drove Logan nuts that Jackson was such a snob, but there was no getting through his hard skull. Logan would just have to keep his eyes to himself, focus on work, get Jude back up and running, and leave it at that.

Several hours after their meeting, Logan turned into a parking lot off Bay Street and parked his Lexus.

He’d spent the afternoon in a charming little bakery downtown, looking into places to stay while he got Jude’s issue straightened out. There were several B&Bs in the area and a newly built upscale hotel overlooking the bay, but Logan had been drawn in by the charm of the short-term rental apartment.

The cheerful yellow brick house was inviting, made at a time when longevity was part of the design process. Though Logan’s professional focus was on commercial work, he had an appreciation for older homes with their solid construction and graceful charm.

The first floor was an accounting office, but Logan checked his phone for instructions from the owners of the vacation rental, a couple of guys named Forrest and Jarod, and went around the back. Stairs led him up to a second-floor apartment and he punched in the keycode he’d been provided.

The moment he stepped inside, he knew he’d made a good choice.

Quiet, cozy, and clean. The perfect weekend getaway.

He was supposed to be on vacation, in fact. Not that he was any good at taking time off.

Logan carried his weekender bag into the bedroom and dropped it on the bed with a sigh. He traveled a lot, sometimes heading out of town unexpectedly, and he’d gotten in the habit of keeping a packed bag and suit for meetings in his car so he could leave at the drop of a hat.

His ex-wife, Ann, had been resentful. She’d accused him of caring more for his work than for his spouse. It had been hard to argue. His career had brought him joy and his marriage had been more of a struggle than a source of comfort. He’d loved Ann and he’d tried to make their relationship work but ultimately, they’d wanted very different things.

Underlying it was the knowledge that Logan had never felt satisfied with their sex life. He couldn’t blame Ann for that. When they’d gotten married, he’d already buried some of his needs so far down even he hadn’t realized they existed. But over the years as that nagging itch became something he could no longer ignore, he’d talked to her about it.

She’d been shocked, of course. It couldn’t be easy to hear that her husband of twenty-odd years was bisexual and kinky. Logan could have lived without sex with men—he respected his marriage to Ann too much to do anything behind her back—but the kink was more of an issue. There had been some fights, some tears, but eventually they’d reached an agreement.

They’d open up their marriage and he could explore, so long as he kept it safe and discreet. Ann would do the same. It had been strange at first, coming home from a date to crawl into bed with his wife who had been out earlier that night with someone else.

Dating while still married had blown his mind but he was glad they’d managed it. It had made it easier when Ann had admitted she’d met someone. Someone who gave her everything she wanted.

“Why are we still married, Logan?” she’d asked with a sigh. “Are we really happy this way?”

He’d admitted they weren’t. Oh, it was better than cheating or dishonesty, but by that point he and Ann were more roommates and friends than a couple. They’d divorced and now she was happily remarried to a great guy named Marc.

Logan hadn’t met the right person yet but he lived in hope.

He carried his laptop bag into the kitchen, then set it up at the table. Jude had said he would email the contract with the current construction company and Logan found it waiting as promised. Logan found the information he needed without trouble. Undoubtedly Jude’s lawyer would confirm it, but he would want to get all of his ‘i’s dotted and his ‘t’s crossed before he started talking legal action. Logan had no such restrictions.

He dialed Jude’s number with a grim sense of satisfaction.

“Fire them,” he said the moment Jude picked up. “They’re definitely in breach of contract. You can verify with your lawyer what steps to take to get at least part of your money back. You’ll need to document exactly what they have and haven’t done, and I hope you have a paper trail about the communication you’ve had with the project manager and foreman, but this should be pretty open-and-shut in civil court.”

“Really?” Jude sighed, clearly relieved. “Thanks. You have no idea what a relief this is to have you show me what to do.”

If only.Logan suppressed a smirk. “Glad to help.”

“So, once I do that, how do I find someone reliable to take over? What if they fuck me over too?”

Logan let out a thoughtful hum. “Yeah, I hear you. Let me think of who in this area is really good at projects like that.” He drummed his fingers on the table as he considered the options. “There’s J&M, of course. They’re small, they do more residential projects than commercial, but I think they’re expanding into it.”

Jude groaned. “Yeah, I know Josh and Matt. They’re good guys. I know them through the … the local community.”

Logan raised an eyebrow at that. Huh. Interesting hesitation there. Oh, but they were openly bisexual so Jude probably meant the LGBTQ community. That made sense.

“But they’re fully booked.” Jude let out a frustrated little grumble. “They were the first ones I talked to, but they’re really swamped with projects.”

“Ahh, damn.”

“And the other big one, Skyline Construction, is doing the new condo development project for my dad.”

“Right. So, busy and you’re concerned they’d say something to him, I’d imagine.”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“Well, I’ll keep thinking about it.”

“I just …” Jude’s voice was pained. “I can’t go much longer. I’m already way behind schedule and I had plans to have the place up and running by Valentine’s Day, and with the holidays and the weather I know there are going to be delays.”

“That’s likely,” Logan agreed. “A quick turnaround on an established place, you could maybe get done in under two months, but what you’re talking about is closer to four.”

“I know.”

“Okay.” Logan rubbed his beard as he considered the options. Damn, Jude was in a tight spot. A glimmer of an idea began to form along the edge of his consciousness as he considered if there was a way he could help Jude more directly. “So, this is a little crazy, but what if I got a crew together for you? I could do the project management and make sure everyone is on track.”

“You’d do that?” Jude sounded stunned.

“To help you, of course I would.”

“I mean, aren’t you busy as hell though? I know you travel all the time and I’m just worried that if you’re not there—"

“Hey, I understand your worries,” Logan said soothingly. “I have great guys though. I promise they’re reliable.” If they weren’t, Logan would fire their asses in a heartbeat. “I could maybe work from Pendleton for a while,” he said, warming to the idea. “I mean, I’m overdue for a vacation anyway and this is a slower time of year for me.” Though slow was relative.

“First of all, a working vacation is not a vacation,” Jude teased. “A vacation is lying on a beach getting rubbed down by gorgeous men who bring you drinks.”

“Apparently I’ve never been on vacation then,” Logan said drily.

“Well, women in your case, but you get my point.”

No, not just women. But though Ann, their son Archie, and Jackson knew about Logan’s bisexuality, apparently none of them had mentioned it to Jude. This wasn’t the time to correct Jude’s assumptions, however. They were working together and if Jude knew he was bi … well, it might be a little difficult for both of them to remember to be professional.

“Semantics aside, I’d like to do this for you, Jude,” he said earnestly. “You have an amazing project planned and I hate the idea of you cutting corners or scrapping some of it just to get it done in time. You need a good reliable crew with the skills to pull off the project, and I have guys who can absolutely handle that.”

“God, I’d love to take you up on it,” Jude said. “But can I afford it? I don’t want to be underwater on this project so bad I can never get out from under it. You know I have money, but it isn’t limitless. And I assume a court case will take a while to iron out. I’m sure I’ll get some of the money I already invested back, but you know the company is going to argue that they already put in the time, and I owe them for that.”

“I know.” And Jude would never ask his father for a loan, for fear that Jackson would turn him down and tell him he was being frivolous. Logan considered what other options there were. “How about this? I come on as project manager, but I cut out my fee.”

There was silence for a moment. “You’d work for free?”

“Call it an investment in a business I believe in,” Logan said with a smile. Because while some people saw Jude as flighty, he was anything but. He was passionate about what he believed in. He was an excellent chef, charming as hell, and while Logan might not know the restaurant business, he knew Jude could deliver. “But I expect meals on the house for life.”

Jude laughed. “You drive a hard bargain there, Mr. Shaw.”

“What’s this Mr. Shaw business?” Logan teased. “I told you years ago to call me Logan and if we’ll be working together, you definitely should.”

“Yes, Logan,” he parroted back.

“So, you on board with my plan?” Logan asked, amused by the hint of sass in Jude’s response and the curl of enjoyment of having a man do what he told him to—however vanilla and mundane it was.

Jude hesitated. “I am. I just … I’m a little overwhelmed by your generosity.”

“Truthfully, I’m looking forward to doing this,” Logan said. “The more I think about it, the better it sounds. It’s been forever since I had a project like this to work on. And being hands-on instead of just sitting on my ass in my office will be nice. It’s been a long time since I swung a hammer.”

“Oh, now I don’t know,” Jude said teasingly. “Not sure how I feel about you getting your hands dirty on this. I thought you said your crew would be top-notch.”

“Don’t you worry,” Logan said with a smile, “I can handle it.”

“I know you can.” Jude sighed. “Honestly, this takes a huge weight off my mind. With you in charge, I won’t have to worry that it’ll get screwed up somehow.”

“Good. Now, go fire your contractor so we can get to work.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice. Thanks, Logan.” Jude’s tone was warm. “I owe you big-time.”

* * *

After several dozen phone calls, texts, and emails, Logan had a plan. He had a crew lined up to begin on Monday, Camille Henry—his VP—was set to take over while he was gone, his assistant was managing his abrupt shift in schedule, and he’d extended his stay in Pendleton. Ann had always been shocked by his decisiveness. She was a ditherer, taking weeks to contemplate ideas before deciding on a plan. But Logan preferred swift action. He knew what he liked and what he wanted, and he had no room in his life for hesitation.

He used a delivery app to order dinner from a nearby tavern and ate while he worked. When the food was gone and the work for the day was done, he closed his laptop and stood with a groan, wondering what it would be like to stay in Pendleton for the next few months. He’d still need to travel, of course—even Camille couldn’t handle everything, but he was overdue for time off and while it might not be Jude’s idea of a vacation, it would be a welcome break from Logan’s usual routine.

As he walked toward the bedroom, intent on showering and enjoying a relaxing evening in, his thoughts drifted back to Jude’s earlier talk of beaches, drinks, and rubdowns from sexy men. Beaches were out of the question in Michigan in late fall but sexy men … That was something worth considering.

Logan retrieved his toiletry kit and stepped into the bathroom, wondering if he should take advantage of his time away from home. This was a rare opportunity to see what kind of a kink community there was in Pendleton.

After Logan’s marriage to Ann had opened up, he’d vowed to himself that he wouldn’t let more of his life slip by without exploring his dominant side. In theory, it had sounded great. In practice, he’d found it difficult. He knew a lot of people in Fort Benton and the idea that they might gossip about his kinks made him nervous, so he’d kept most of his exploration to Chicago, where he could remain somewhat anonymous.

But even then, it had been a challenge.

Logan had all the knowledge but none of the experience and few submissives wanted to take a chance on a Dom who didn’t know what he was doing. Logan couldn’t blame them. If they picked the wrong guy, it could be dangerous.

But how was he supposed to get that experience if no one would take a chance on him?

So far, all he’d managed was a handful of spankings, some orgasm control, and rough sex. He’d played a little with a simple handmade wooden paddle he’d picked up online and fallen in love with the experience. His blood had sung as he’d used it and he’d been shaking after, adrenaline making him feel like he could rule the world. But he’d never managed to find any kind of ongoing relationship with someone looking to explore.

And Logan was too much of a perfectionist to wield a whip or flogger without some serious practice.

Realizing he’d finished showering and was just standing in the running water staring at nothing, Logan shut off the tap and stepped out. When he was dry and dressed in nothing but a towel, he took a seat on the edge of the bed and reached for his phone.

He pulled up a kink app to search out local members. It was still risky to use in a small town, especially since he planned to stick around for a while, but he was done putting his personal life on the backburner in the name of caution. He loved the company he ran but what was the point of being successful if there was no one to share it with?

A new kink community offered a fresh start. With an extended stay, maybe he could even find a patient play partner for more than a one-off scene.

Logan was under no illusions he’d find the love of his life on a kinky hookup app, but he’d be perfectly happy with a regular play partner. If nothing else, it would give him the experience he needed to eventually find what he was looking for.

Logan logged into the app, unsurprised to find a handful of messages waiting for him.

Most were from significantly younger guys—ones younger than his son in fact—looking for Daddies. He could see the appeal of a nurturing relationship but he didn’t think his tastes lay in that direction.

Besides, most of the guys were in Chicago anyway.

Logan browsed the offerings in Pendleton. They were significantly more limited, of course, but there were a few prospects. Worth exploring some of the options out there to see if anyone was a good fit.

He looked at his profile on the app again. Not bad. The pictures were all shots from the chin down, but he was proud of the work he’d done to get back in shape. He’d been a little self-conscious about the graying fur that was scattered across his chest and trailed down his stomach to his cock, but most men he’d been with had liked it.

Logan hadn’t been involved with many women since his divorce. He didn’t know if it was that he’d been in search of something new or because he was more into men, at least as a dominant, or something else, but it felt like the right choice.

He updated his profile text too.

Me: Fit older dominant looking for male play partner. I’m well-hung, open-minded, and knowledgeable but lacking experience. New to town.

You: Open-minded masochist and submissive who is willing to offer instructions while still remaining respectful. Interested in a short-term arrangement to meet our mutual needs.

There, hopefully that would work. He could only hope.

He set his phone down long enough to slip on a pair of sweats and grab a beer from the refrigerator. He’d picked some up on the way to the rental place and it should be cold now. He settled on the couch in the living room and turned on the TV.

He logged into Netflix but had only just begun streaming a show he’d been bingeing when his phone buzzed on the cushion beside him. The kink app. Well, that was promising.

PowerBottomDTF:Hey, Daddy. Looking to get my hole plowed tonight. You like?

What followed was an up-close-and-personal view of a guy’s asshole.

Logan studied it a moment, then shook his head.

Nice view but Jesus, didn’t anyone believe in conversation anymore? He didn’t need romance but a small attempt at making sure they were at least somewhat compatible wasn’t too much to ask for, was it? And the guy was nineteen, for fuck’s sake. His own child was in his thirties. Flattering but no.

Logan ignored the message. He’d run across a lot of guys like that. Ones who were maybe slightly kinky but nowhere near as submissive or masochistic as he was looking for. And certainly not experienced enough in it to help him explore.

He returned his gaze to the screen. Over the next half hour, a handful of messages trickled in. They all felt ill-suited to what he was looking for. One flat-out admitted he had no interest in anything ongoing. Another insulted Logan for his lack of experience.

What a winner there.

But just when Logan was contemplating shutting the damn thing off completely, a promising message popped up.

YourSwitchyDream: Your profile and pics caught my attention. You open to a switch?

Logan smiled at the name. Confident. He liked it. He opened the profile and scrolled through the pictures, mouth going dry. Jesus Christ. The guy had a reason to be confident. His pictures were incredible. There were acres of golden skin on display and a well-defined eight-pack. He appeared to be waxed totally smooth, though his shots of his cock and ass were more artistic than pornographic.

Intrigued, Logan read the profile: Unrepentant switch. Open to LTR with other switch or open relationship but not looking to settle down with anyone who is firmly a Dom/sub. Happy to explore something more temporary in the meantime though. Open to couples.

Logan considered the idea. Hmm. Could work. He typed out a reply.

NewBieDom: Being a switch is definitely not a deal breaker. And your profile and pics have me intrigued. Not a switch myself but if you’re willing to respectfully top from the bottom/teach as we go, I’m interested.

YourSwitchyDream: I am. What have you done so far?

NewBieDom: Some spanking and edging mostly. Manhandling my partner, biting, holding their hands down, that sort of thing. A little bit of rope play. Oh, and paddling. Loved that.

YourSwitchyDream: Mmm, I do like a good paddling.

NewBieDom: I saw that ass of yours. It looks like it was made to take a paddling.

YourSwitchyDream: Hell yes.

NewBieDom: So, you’re a masochist?

YourSwitchyDream: I can also be sadistic, if the scene calls for it, but for our purposes, yes, a masochist.

NewBieDom: I’m fascinated by the switching. It doesn’t feel right for me, but I’m intrigued you can do it.

YourSwitchyDream: How did you know you were a Dom?

NewBieDom: You don’t ask easy questions.

YourSwitchyDream: Too much for a hookup?

NewBieDom: No! Not at all. My ideal scenario is meeting someone who is willing to talk about things like that. I actually thought a couple might be a good fit, that way I could learn from the Dom/practice on their sub.

YourSwitchyDream: I’m the best of both worlds!

Logan smiled to himself and typed, And modest.

YourSwitchyDream: SO modest. The most modest, in fact.

Logan laughed aloud.Why do I get the feeling I have a brat on my hands?

YourSwitchyDream: *whistles innocently*

NewBieDom: To answer your earlier question, it was a slow realization. I was dissatisfied with vanilla. It always felt like something was missing. I read something online, a dominant’s blog, talking about his mindset and something just clicked. It explained feelings I’d had but had never been able to put into words.

YourSwitchyDream: Powerful stuff.

NewBieDom: It was.

YourSwitchyDream: What would you like to learn?

NewBieDom: What *wouldn’t* I like to learn. I mean, I’ve basically gone as far as I can without a partner. I’ve read the books and every online article I can get my hands on. Watched the video demos from reputable sources and practiced hitting pillows to work on my aim but … I lack the hands-on experience with another human being. I know all of this in theory, I just haven’t had anyone to practice *on* you know?

YourSwitchyDream: Sure, I get that. So, impact play? Rope? Give me at least a few things to start with.

NewBieDom: I dream about wielding a whip and using it on a bound submissive. Cliché, maybe, but it’s the image my brain gets stuck on.

YourSwitchyDream: *fans self* be still my masochistic heart. I would *love* to teach you that and have you try it on me.

NewBieDom: I have a softer side too though. I don’t want to portray myself as some hardass Dom. I like the idea of a bit of coddling as well.

YourSwitchyDream: Daddy Dom?

NewBieDom: I don’t think so? Though I can appreciate the nurturing aspects to it. I guess in the end, I’m looking for that man who wants it all from me. The dominant to guide him through life when he needs it, the sadist to make him cry when he needs that, and the man to dry his tears and be by his side the rest of the time.

Logan swallowed hard by the time he hit send, surprised by the emotion that welled up inside of him. He’d never quite laid it all out like that and seeing it clearly made him hunger for it even more.

Logan’s phone went silent, and he’d begun to wonder if his message was too over the top when another message popped up.

YourSwitchyDream: Well, damn. You’re going to make some guy very happy someday. I’d be honored to help you hone your skills so you can find him.