Cooper sighed, giving up on sleep and sliding out of bed. He tucked Adam in and tiptoed down the hallway. He didn’t want to turn the TV on and risk waking Adam, so he slipped down to the basement. He’d obviously finished the flogger, even though he hadn’t had a chance to try it out yet. He would let Adam use it on him next time Adam dommed him, most likely.
Cooper had just spread out a sheet of deer hide—not sure what he was going to make, but definitely something to use on Adam—when the stairs behind him creaked. He set down his blade and turned, waiting for Adam to come the rest of the way down.
“What are you doing down here?” Adam yawned, scrubbing a hand down his face. He wore the underwear Cooper had dressed him in after a shower and before bed.
“I couldn’t sleep,” he said. “Didn’t want to wake you up.”
“I’m awake.”
Cooper tangled his fingers together in front of him. “Go back to bed.”
“Come with me.” Adam closed the space between them, pressing his half-hard cock against the tops of Cooper’s hands.
“I did earlier,” he murmured, tilting his chin up and pressing a kiss against the side of Adam’s bare neck. “You need rest.”
“Youneed rest.” Adam reached down and pulled Cooper’s hands away, slotting himself against Cooper and settling against his front.
“Mmn, well…sleep eluded me.”
“I could fuck you to sleep.” Adam circled his hips. “Since I didn’t do a good enough job earlier.”
“You did plenty good earlier.” Cooper slid his hand up Adam’s spine until his fingers reached his hair. He grabbed Adam’s head and gave him a sharp tug, stopping the path Adam’s mouth had been on toward his throat. “I believe I told you as much. And I believe you liked hearing it.”
“I did.” Adam’s neck looked like dessert on display for him. “Letmetell you this time.”
Cooper made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. “I don’t know about that, baby.”
“Last time you were in charge,” Adam rasped.
“Do you think this is a pattern?” he asked, tightening his hold on Adam’s hair and reaching between their bodies with the other hand. He shoved his way into Adam’s underwear and took hold of his cock. “On and off and on and off?”
“I thought we’d…” Adam swallowed when Cooper squeezed him. “Take turns.”
Cooper tried to stifle his sigh. He thought Adam understood. He thought they’d been on the same page. He loosened the fingers in Adam’s hair and breathed heavily. Adam immediately sensed the change and jerked his face down, meeting Cooper’s exhausted expression with a tight frown.
“Was I wrong?” Adam asked, pulling Cooper’s hand out of his underwear. “I thought that was what we’d agreed.”
In that moment, Cooper realized that Adam hadn’t gone back on what they’d talked about, he’d just had a different understanding of what the rules of engagement would be.
“Adam.” He tangled their fingers together and kissed Adam’s knuckles. “Let’s go talk.”
Adam voiced a disagreeable noise, but let Cooper pull him up the stairs. Every step, though, made Cooper tired, the weight of the early hour growing more apparent the closer he got to the main level. He led Adam back to the bedroom and climbed into bed, motioning for Adam to do the same.
“I thought we were talking.”
Cooper pushed the cover down. “We can talk here. It’s late, and I’m feeling tired now.”
Adam followed him into bed, settling into Cooper’s side and pressing his cheek against Cooper’s chest. He kissed the top of Adam’s head and wrapped him up, taking a deep breath and trying to figure out where to begin.
“Things will ebb and flow between us,” he said, stroking his fingers lightly down Adam’s exposed back. “It will be a give and take, and I get the impression you’re thinking it will be tit for tat, and I’m not sure that’s the right way to look at it.”
“No?”
“I’m guessing that you’re looking at the experience you get from being a Dom as greater than the experience you get from submitting,” he surmised, slowing the path of his fingers so he could read any change in movement of Adam’s body. Sure enough, when he stopped speaking, Adam inhaled sharply and held it, all the muscles in his back tightening as he held his breath. “Adam, exhale.”
Adam did, but remained silent.
“Am I right?” he asked.
