hands, pulling Corey onto my lap. “I know it’s confusing. You see Doms and subs walk in here in full
leather gear all the time. What you may not realize is many of them change in the parking lot or use the
changing rooms in the lobby.”
“But this is…”
“Yes, our connection isn’t the same, but the rules still apply. The biggest of which, in this context,
is consensual. If you’re not into something, you tell me, and we’ll adapt.” I slid a hand under the
cropped hem of Corey’s t-shirt. “You’re a treasure I didn’t know I was looking for, Corey. Now that I
have you, I’d do just about anything to make sure you’re taken care of.”
“What do you get out of it?” he asked skeptically. “So far, this feels very one-sided.”
“Taking care of people is something I enjoy,” I admitted. “It’s also something I didn’t get much
chance to do when I was in the military.” I squeezed him tighter. “While things are getting better to an
extent now, cuddling a buddy isn’t something you can do. Asking if he’s eating properly and tucking
him in at night would have earned us both an endless ration of shit, and that’s the best-case scenario.
Now, I don’t have to hide that side of myself.”
“But you’ve been out a few years now. What makes me special?”
“Everything.” I sighed, thinking of how icy I’d been to him before I realized how badly he wanted
something he felt was out of his grasp. I brushed my thumb over his cheek, dragging it across his lips.
His mouth opened, sucking my thumb between his teeth. It was a struggle to keep my dick from
imagining how that tongue would feel pressing against my length. “In case you haven’t had access to a
mirror, you’re stunning. But it’s so much more than that. You’re a kind person. You never rush
customers when they need someone to talk to. You put everyone else’s needs above your own. You’re
killing yourself trying to be a good parent to your daughter. I want to be the person you can lean on
when everything gets overwhelming.”
“That sounds like a lot of work,” he remarked. I chuckled because he wasn’t wrong. The good
news was, I’d never shied away from anything just because it was hard.
“And it’ll be worth every ounce of effort,” I assured him. Corey yawned again. He scooted low
enough to rest his head on my shoulder. He hummed as I started rubbing his back. We needed to finish
up here so I could get him somewhere he could lay down and sleep. I didn’t care if it was his place or
mine, but I was going to tuck my boy in and watch him rest. We could finish talking tomorrow after I
made him a good breakfast. “What are your plans for tomorrow, sweetheart?”
