I nodded. “That’s why you’re such a good man.” Kissing the corner of his mouth, I sighed. “Okay. If I’m scared of something, I’ll tell you from now on.”
“Good. This made me realize we really don’t know much about each other.” He patted me on the thigh and I rose. He followed me and tucked his hand against mine, our fingers intertwined as he led me toward the cat tree. I leaned against it, smelling the fresh wood that formed the base of the first level. I didn’t know what it was made out of, but it smelled like the outside. “Tell me who you are, Harley Silvain.”
I pressed my cheek against one of the branches to feel the texture. It wasn’t bark, so it was manufactured, but it felt nice. Real. “What do you want to know?”
“What makes you tick?” He released his hold on me, and I wrapped my arms around the branch I’d been touching, pulling my weight up with my hands to test its strength. It didn’t even creak.
“Numbers. Information. Facts. Alone time.” I smiled at him over my shoulder as I placed my feet back on the ground. “I’m used to people not understanding me. They think I’m weird because I’m shy, but my shyness always came across as… me being an asshole. So they never want to know me. I learned to be by myself growing up. My family is loud. They’ve always been popular in their groups of friends. My oldest brother was a soccer superstar. He made it to some professional team before he blew out his knee. My other brother was charming and likeable. The girls loved him, and the guys thought he was funny. Mom and Dad were the same. Mom was a cheerleader in school, and Dad was the star baseball player.”
Brad made an excited noise, and I chuckled.
“Then there was me. Unplanned child number tre .” I shrugged and moved to the steps that got me into the side of the tree that was finished. I lay on one of the unfinished branches that was wide enough to let me rest comfortably. Solid wood at my back was nice. “I was the weird kid, the one they didn’t know how to communicate with. They thought I was autistic at one point and wanted to get me tested. They didn’t, though. Sometimes I think I am on the autism scale, but I don’t think I want to know if I am or not. What could it possibly matter now?”
Brad shifted closer and ran his fingers through my hair. I purred at the feeling of his nails scraping against my scalp.
“I thought they’d hate me when I came out as gay, but surprisingly they didn’t.” All this talking about my family made me wince. I still had to decide if I wanted to invite Brad to my brother’s birthday dinner. As I stared at him and how intently he listened to me, I realized I wanted him to be there. If anyone could get along with them it was him. “Actually, Mom is having a family party for my brother next weekend. I forgot about it, but she reminded me this morning. She asked if I had anyone coming. If you want, you can—”
“Yes, kitty.” Brad kissed my cheek and I purred hard, my tongue vibrating against the top of my mouth. “I’d love to go with you.”
“Oh.” I turned my face away for a second, cheeks flushing again. “Thank you.”
“Tell me something, why are you so insecure about this relationship?” He rested his shoulder against the branch so his face was close to mine. I could smell the pancakes he had eaten this morning, and I wanted to lean over and devour his mouth.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged and glanced at my feet. “Like I said, I’ve never been jealous before. I’m usually a whatever happens, happens kind of person. I was hurt when Barton left, but I just picked myself up and moved on. But I don’t want to lose you. It’s like you give me what I’ve always needed, but I didn’t know I needed. Does that sound stupid?”
Brad caressed my arm and I trembled under his warm fingers. “No, it doesn’t, Harley cat, because I feel the same way. I’ve never had a pet get me as hard as you do, or make me feel as good as you do. Did you see how big my cock was last night? You did that. I don’t remember getting it up as quickly as I did last night with anyone else. Not since I was a teenager, at least.”
I grinned and stretched my arms above my head, showing my belly where my shirt rose. He trailed his fingers across my chest and to my exposed skin, tips dancing across it, mapping it like he wanted to know every inch of me. Then he pushed his hand under my shirt and pinched my right nipple.
I gasped, toes curling. “Me too. I’m so hot for you all the time.”
“You like me touching you, kitty cat?” He tickled his fingers over the other nipple and my eyes slipped closed.
I moaned. “Yes. So much.”
“Mm. I like touching you too.” He leaned up on his tiptoes and kissed me again, and I ate at his lips, devouring his taste.
“Can I ask you a question?” I whispered against his mouth.
“Anything, Harley cat.” He kissed across my cheek, down my chin and neck, sending a tremble along my spine and making my belly burn hot.
“Why do you like being an owner? Is it the power?”
He pulled back and stared at me, mouth curling into a gentle smile. “No, it’s never been about the dominance or power, although I do enjoy being in charge. I like taking care of someone, being the person they rely on, making my special pet happy. I like seeing you smile, Harley cat. It’s fucking spectacular.”
I dropped my head, but I couldn’t stop my lips from turning upward. He cocked his head toward me and reached out his hand to grab mine, kissing my palm before working his way up to my wrist. I shivered.
“Master….”
“Yes, kitty?” He stopped to suck on the pulse point at my wrist. My back arched and I moaned.
“Take care of me?”
“Always, Harley.” He placed a small kiss where he sucked and then held out his hand. I took it, rolling off the tree and landing on my feet. He pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead. “Now, let’s go inside and you can tell me everything I need to know about your family.”
I nodded, my skin tingling in pleasure at being so close to him. “As long as you tell me about yourself.”
“Deal, kitty.”
