But maybe… maybe the plan would actually work. My parentsdidlisten to me sometimes, like when I’d wanted to stop taking the ADHD medication that had made me feel so gross, so even if they were super opinionated and tended to steamroll right over memostof the time, they weren’t totally unreasonable.
“My overall grades aren’t exactly amazing, though,” I pointed out, since yes, it was true that I was finally passing everything now, but the low B was definitely one of my higher grades.
“Yeah, Noe, they really kinda are amazing, actually,” Gage said, wrapping one of his big hands around the back of my neck, “becauseyou’reamazing. Besides, we’re not just gonna show your parentals your grades, remember? We’re also going to show them that you’ve got a study plan in place, and that you’ve stuck with it, and that you’ll keep right on sticking with it. We’re gonna show them every single thing you’ve used to turn it around, and you know your dad gets off on that shit, so those details are gonna impress them just as much as what you’ve done with your GPA.”
Phase Two included showing my parents the homework schedule Gage had made for me, and the tracking and assignment spreadsheets, and all the study strategies he made me use now, and those little focus hacks he’d discovered... but for a minute, when he said we’d show themeverything, all I could picture was slipping up and telling them theotherways my master helped me stay on task.
Heat flooded my cheeks.
My dick started to get hard again.
I may have whimpered.
Gage laughed, reading me like a book, because of course he did. “Yeah, guess we’ll leave afewdetails out,” he said with a wink.
I blushed harder, but then suddenly couldn’t contain my One True Fear.
“But do you really think it will be enough that they’ll agree to let me stay here at school next year?” I blurted, smoothing my hands over Gage’s chest and wishing more than anything that I could just quit worrying and fully and completely trust all Gage’s confidence about being able to sway my parents.
Well, what I actually wished was that I could quit worrying because the choice wasn’t up to them... and I’d like to have said that was because I wished it were up tome, but only because that sounded like the kind of thing Ishouldwish for.
What I really wished, though? That the way Gage claimed me for his own meant thathegot the final say.
Codependent of me? Yes.
Was I totally okay with claiming that title now? Also yes.
“Oh, they’re gonna agree,” Gage told me in that cocky, confident way that actually made me (mostly) believe it. “I wouldn’t even mind transferring to that shitty state school back home if we really had to, but no way in hell am I putting up with you living back at your parentals’ place. So yeah, we’re gonna get them to say yes, because no matter where we go to school, I need youwithme. All the time. Nothing else is gonna work for me, babe, so get used to it.”
Iwasused to it. Ilovedit. But... a little tremor went through me as what he’d just said sank in.
I stopped petting his chest, my eyes shooting up to meet his. “We?” I whispered.
Gage cocked his head, looking down at me like he was confused by the question. “What?”
I bit my lip, but then ended up smiling too hard to hold it in. “You said ifwehad to transfer schools.”
Which had made it sound like he’d come with me if my parents still ended up making me do that.
No, it made it sound likeof coursehe’d come with me, as if there wasn’t even a question.
“Well, yeah,” Gage said, like it was obvious. “Plan B, and I don’t love it, but where you go, I go. That’s non-negotiable.” His lips quirked up. “You’re mine, remember?”
Did Iremember?
My heart flooded with flutters and glittering rainbows and shooting, magical stars. Um, yes. Yes, I did remember, as a matter of fact, and I was totally ready, willing, and eager to show himexactlyhow good I was at remembering that status, anytime. All the time. Now, for example. Now was definitely good for me.
“On your knees, slave,” Gage said, totally out of the blue… or, more likely, like he’d just read my mind.
I sighed happily and dropped like a stone, my body reacting to his command automatically, before I had time to think, and my mouth already watering in anticipation.
Yes, please.
This.
Always.
“Jesus, be careful, Noe,” Gage said, shaking his head as he ran a hand over my hair and looked down at me with the kind of sweet concern he never had for anyone but me. The kind that made my heart get a boner. “I’m gonna have to get a rug in here or something.”
