“Pee or no pee?” I snort, a thousand giggles dancing in my chest.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. It sounded better in my head,” he grunts. “It soundedromantic.” Again, he pronounces the word like one would sayhaemorrhoidorinfected toenail.
“Romantic?” I tease. “Yes, God forbid, East. That would be dreadful.” I laugh.
“Don’t play with me, Bunny,” he non-warns me again, raising a brow at me.
“Or what?” I blink innocently, and he just groans, and growls, and scowls like the wonderful man he is, Master. My man.
“You’ll see,” he smirks and my heart sings ‘Yes, yes. Show me. Show me everything.’
Chapter Eighteen
Easter
Part of me is freaking out as I lead him through the flat towards my bedroom, but mostly I’m just excited, almost giddy. It feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, sharing my father’s death and my mother’s retreat from the world with him. I hope—no, I pray—my surprise for him will be the ultimate proof I meant what I said. That nothing, absolutely nothing, can change how I feel about him, my Bunny. His right hand is securely clasped in mine while the other is fisted tightly in my shirt collar like he’s afraid I’ll somehow dissolve into thin air. He’s tucked against my side and although it’s slightly awkward walking like this, I think we both need it. The closeness. The quiet comfort of the physical connection. The reassurance that we are unbreakable.
Fuck, I almost wasn’t allowed to take Benjamin with me. Once I’d persuaded him to come back, Mr Harvey pulled out a kitchen chair and said ‘Sit, young man!’ real Scotland Yard style. I heard Benjamin snort behind me and I’m not sure if it was because someone was out-bossing his boss or because Mr Harvey referred to me as young. Never mind. I’d rather have my Bunnysnorting than crying any day of the week. I won’t go into details, but let’s just say that dear old Henry VIII would have loved for Mr Harvey to have been one of his royal interrogators. Once he was satisfied that my intentions were sincere, he pulled Benjamin into a bear hug and murmured something against his ear that made Benjamin sniffle like I’d never heard him sniffle before.
“East?” Benjamin tugs at my shirt impatiently, frowning at me. “How much longer are we gonna stare at your door?” He smiles at me knowingly, then bats his dark brown eyelashes.
“Right,” I grunt, reaching around him and opening the door. As soon as I open it, I smell the intense fragrance of the tulips, and I know he does, too, because he wrinkles his nose adorably and peeks inside. “Go on,” I laugh and give him a gentle push. He stumbles, but I catch him around his waist and he giggles against my chest. And that’s how we enter the room, me turning him around, half-pushing him inside with my arms wrapped around him from behind. A deep sigh leaves his chest when his gaze connects with the generous vase of lavender tulips on the nightstand next to his side of the bed.His side.
“Are those for me?” he asks, his voice breathy, as he leans back against my chest and looks up at me. I nod and if I could take a forever photo of Benjamin to store away in my mind, this would be it. The way he’s looking at me right now. Like I just hung the bloody moon. My chest fills with pride and love, as I nod and rasp, “Yes, darling. Those are for you.”
“I love them,” he whispers. “Lavender is my favourite colour.”
“I know,” I say, because although he’s never told me, I somehow know. Just like I know that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, I know everything important about him, my Bunny. His smile takes overhis entire face, lighting up his muddy-grey eyes until they’re sparkling like two large pieces of moonstone.
“They smell wonderful,” he whispers. “Thank you, East.” I just nod at him, my heart in my throat, because I know what he means. They smell of spring and hope and new beginnings.
“You’re welcome, darling,” I hum against his lips. I kiss him tenderly, sucking his plump bottom lip into my mouth, feeling him squirm with need and then melt against me pliantly. I force my tongue into his mouth, and he meets me willingly, his fingers digging into my pecs, like he wants to crawl all the way inside me and live there, right next to my heart.
“East,” he moans as he starts humping my left thigh, grinding his hard dick against my pants. “I’m gonna come if you keep this up.”
“Don’t.” I bite into his lip, and he whimpers. “Don’t come yet. There’s more.”
“More?” He frowns, panting. “But East…” He shakes his head as he blinks at me, all love-drunk and adoring. “The tulips…” He gestures at the nightstand.
“There’s more,” I say simply, untangling his fingers from my shirt and pushing him towards my dresser until we’re standing right in front of it. “The second drawer. It’s yours now,” I say, and I think my voice shakes a little, but never fucking mind.
“It’s mine,” he states matter-of-factly, then turns, looking at me. “What do you mean, it’s mine, East?”
“Just what I said.” I smirk. “It’s yours. For your stuff.” He tilts his head, then licks his lips.
“But I don’t have any stuff.Here.”
“Of course you do.” I gesture at the second drawer. “Now, be a good, obedient Bunny and open it.” He shivers, a flush blooming across his cheeks.
“Yes, Master,” he says, and my hardness makes it to an entirely new level, ready to burst through the fabric of my pants. I just manage to bite back a needy growl because this is not about me. This is about him. He reaches out and wraps his fingers around the handle, slowly pulling out the drawer. An entire rainbow of colours appears in front of us. First, there’s baby blue, then bumblebee—yes, Meredith told me because, to me, yellow is just fucking yellow.
“East?” his voice trembles. “East, what is this?” I can tell that he’s seconds away from tearing up; the small, telltale sniffles a sure sign.
“Go on, darling.” I nudge him, pressing a gentle kiss against his hair. “You’re only halfway there.”
“Halfway where?” he asks, bewildered, and I bite back a laugh because, damn, he’s just too fucking cute.
“Hmmm,” I nibble on his left earlobe. “Get on with it. I have plans with you,” I say, digging my hard-on into his crease, eliciting a deep moan from him.
