“Bath,” Cypress murmured, pulling away with an obvious amount of effort. He grinned down at Tom, scolding, “I’m supposed to be spoiling you tonight.”
“Orgasms are totally considered part of being spoiled, right?” Tom asked hopefully.
“Later.” Cypress turned off the water and nodded at the tub. “Go on, get in. I’ll be right back.”
Tom watched Cypress leave with Mister Doodles at his heels, lingering to admire his firm ass as he walked away before turning back to carefully step into the tub. It wasn’t too hot, just warm enough to make him groan as he sank down.
The smell of lavender was pleasant but not overpowering, and he loved that the tub was big enough for him to stretch out. He got settled until only his head was sticking out, resting back on the edge of the tub, and he closed his eyes.
Tom let himself relax, ignoring both his very persistent erection and the frantic reservoir of worries that were close to bursting. It was okay now. He was safe here.
He was relieved he’d finally told Cypress the truth, the weight of that awful secret being lifted right away and making him feel so much lighter. He didn’t know if he’d feel better about it tomorrow if Fox put him in handcuffs, and he could feel the pain in his chest coming back.
He tried taking a few deep breaths and enjoy the warmth of the water all around him. It helped, and he was able to keep the panic at bay.
“You look very comfortable,” Cypress noted upon his return, a smile in his voice.
“Very much so.” Tom opened his eyes, drowsily peering up at him to see a plate in his hands full of white flowers filled with what looked like pudding. “What are those?”
“Tulip blossoms stuffed with chocolate mousse,” Cypress replied, kneeling next to the tub. He picked one up and offered it to Tom. “Here, try one.”
“You can eat tulips?”
“You can eat a lot of different flowers. Trust me.”
Tom obediently opened up his mouth and accepted the blossom in one bite. He trusted Cypress with having the power to send him to jail; eating a flower seemed to be a reasonable leap of faith.
Truthfully, he barely tasted the blossom. There was a crisp flash of sweetness, but it was quickly swallowed up by the rich, velvety taste of the mousse. He groaned loudly, his mouth aching from the wondrous flavor. “That is amazing.”
“Good.” Cypress smiled. “I don’t want you to eat too much and get sick, so after this, you’re going to have chicken noodle soup.”
“Ha! Am I sick?”
“Not exactly,” Cypress replied thoughtfully, sliding another blossom into Tom’s mouth. “Drop usually happens within a few hours or a few days after a scene. My guess is that you’ve spent so many years repressing your emotions it took longer to catch up with you.”
“Well, fuck.” Tom munched quietly. “How long will it last?”
“Depends. Some subs bounce right back, others take weeks.” Cypress gently slid his fingers through Tom’s hair. “We’re going to take it a little easy for a while, okay?”
“Define ‘a while.’”
“Until I’m sure you’re ready.” Cypress offered him another tulip. “Want another?”
“I’m good. They’re delicious, but they’re so rich. And hey, I really do feel better,” Tom insisted. “Just being here with you, telling you the truth? It feels like I can breathe again.”
“Thank you for trusting me.” Cypress ruffled his hair. “Now trust me to make the best decision for you.”
“Ugh. Fine.” Tom flicked some water at him.
“Easy.” Cypress laughed.
Tom grinned, resisting the urge to splash him again. He felt a new question bubbling up, and he asked, “Do Doms ever drop?”
“They can, but it’s not as common.” Cypress picked up a washcloth and a bar of soap, lathering it up as he kneeled behind the tub. He began to gently wash Tom’s neck and shoulders, saying, “I think part of it is that Doms don’t talk about it.”
“Mmm, ‘cause they’re supposed to be all tough and in control?” Tom’s eyes closed as Cypress’s strong hands worked over his sore muscles. He hadn’t realized how tense he was.
“Something like that,” Cypress said, kissing Tom’s hair by his ear.
