“Thank you,” he whispered with a light sprinkle of kisses on my cheek and jaw.
I frowned. “For what?”
“For telling me that.” He cupped my cheek and laid his mouth across mine in a sensual dance of lips that had my cock throbbing. “If this is going to work, I need you to tell me how to helpyou. I’ll let you take care of me all you want, but I need to feel like I’m contributing something to this relationship, too, and that means I need to be the best boyfriend I can for you. I don’t want to make your life harder than it needs to be.”
My heart fucking crashed against my rib cage like a high-speed car on a wall. I didn’t need sight to know he was giving me soft eyes, but how I wished more than anything I could see him right now. But knowing he felt that way about me made it as perfect as it could be.
I cuddled him closer and kissed his forehead, breathing in his masculine scent and the lingering sweat that clung to him from a night of sleep. It was hotter than I’d expected it to be overnight, and I hadn’t turned on the air-conditioning when we’d gotten back from the hospital. My nose was in bad shape after my fall, not broken but definitely hurt. I was just happy I could still smell him.
“Is this real?” Darcy whispered, surprising me.
“Is what real?”
“You. Us. This.” He buried his face against my neck and breathed me in. “I never want to get out of bed. Don’t scare me like that again.”
I chuckled. “I wish I could promise you that I’ll never have seizures, but we know that’s a lie.”
He shook his head against my shoulder. “You misunderstand me. I know you can’t help them, and you’ll have them again and again, but don’t tie me up so I can’t get to you, can’t help you. I never want to feel that helpless again.” It wasn’t hard to miss the agony in his voice, and guilt got caught in my throat.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I felt like I was on top of the world, and for once I wanted to forget about my epilepsy. But I should have thought before I did that. I promise I’ll get quick-release cuffs.”
He relaxed and kissed the pulse point on my neck. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, sweet prince.” I tightened my hold on him and sighed. “But we will need to talk to your mother tomorrow.”
“Why?” he groaned out.
“Because we need to have a conversation with her about your work and boundaries.”
His laughter started up again and he rolled his hips, drawing out a moan from me when his cock ground against mine. “Are you going to tell her how it’s going to be? Aren’t you afraid of her? Also, it’s weird to be talking about her while I’m naked.”
I rubbed a circle on his asscheek before I grabbed hold of it, squeezing until he gasped. “Your mother is a dangerous woman, but she loves you, and she’ll do what she needs to in order to keep you happy. She won’t kill me.”
“Presumptuous, aren’t you?” he teased, which was new to me. “I’m officially your partner, Mr. Sutherland. If something were to happen to you, your belongings are mine.”
I chuckled and slapped his ass again, this time with enough force to make it hurt, and like I expected, he hissed and rocked forward. “It’d take a lot to kill me, Mr. Winters. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.” He smoothed a hand down the side of my face and pressed his lips to the corner of my mouth. “Because I kind of like you.”
“Kind of?” I turned my head and took his mouth with mine, devouring him until he was putty in my arms. The moans that left him were sinful and had my cock throbbing harder than before.
“Fine. I like you.” Darcy sighed into me. “Can you fuck me now?”
That wasn’t something I could deny him.
* * *
The next day, we were standing inside Madam Winters’ rooms and staring down at her where she lay like a queen on her white chaise-style couch, or at least that was what Darcy told me she was doing when we entered. It was a strange little thing he’d started since this morning, telling me everything he was seeing so I could live through his eyes, and while I’d thought it would annoy me, I found it made me feelsomething. I couldn’t quite put words to it. I wouldn’t necessarily want someone else doing it. He cared enough to want me to feel included, and I didn’t have to ask like I’d done with him before. I was his partner, in every way.
Lemonade’s harness was clutched in my hand, and she was sitting at my side like a good girl. Her tail smacked against my shoe, reminding me she was there and ready to assist in any way possible. I didn’t need to rely on her as much now that I had Darcy, though.
“This looks important.” Madam Winters’ voice rose in amusement. Her sweet perfume teased my abused nose, but not in a good way. I sniffed slightly. My nasal passages were swollen from the fall on my face, but the scent was strong enough that it still poked at me. “Not that I’m complaining when two of my favorite people come for a visit.”
Darcy squeezed my hand. “Mother, Brooks and I were talking, and we came up with an arrangement. I will need to hire another manager to help out with the Courtesan and take two days off a week.”
“Good,” she said, without hesitation, and Darcy gasped, as though he’d expected her to argue. “It’s about time you relaxed. I have someone in mind.”
“I… what?” He let go of my hand, and I imagined he was walking to her. My vision was exceptionally dark today, barely a shadow in sight, and I hated it because I wanted some idea of what was happening, though I’d been having more bad days than good lately. “Who?”
