“I can’t believe being so pretty is biting me in the ass right now.”
“Benjamin—what’s happening?” Aaron demands.
“One sec, Bub. Come on, Bear—pay up.” Felix stands up and walks a couple of feet away from the table to give us some room and I groan again—throwing my hands up.
“This is so embarrassing!” Felix just laughs.
Making sure to pin his mean ass with a glare the entire time, I sink to my knees. Felix raises his foot and glare still intact—I rest it in my palm—lean in and kiss the top of his shoe, never looking away from his eyes. I’m wiping my mouth as I back away.
“It’s almost like I’m your go—”
“Nope. Get up Benjamin.” Uh oh. Aaron is angry. Real-time angry. Felix and I—who were already looking at each other—exchange the expressions ofwe’re so dead. “Benjamin.” I shoot up off the ground—dusting my knees off as Felix literally runs for his life.
“Right! It was just a fun dare—same as we used to do. Whoever got you to say pretty first wins and the loser has to kiss the winner’s shoe.” I laugh nervously. “I definitely thought I’d win that one.” Aaron’s leaning back in his plastic chair as I stand in front of his cold gaze—his fingers drumming rhythmically on the table.
“And youhadto get on your knees and make eyes at him the entire time to kiss his shoe? Pretty sure he could have propped his foot on the table or even my knee.” I move to defend myself.
“Well that’s—” I pause, hand raised. But then I drop it and say— “Actually, that’s a valid point.”
“Mhm.” He hums.
“Oops?” I give an oopsie-daisy kind of shrug and give my bestplease don’t be madsmile. Aaron does not smile back at me.
“He was about to call himself your god.”
“Ah, but he didn’t.” I counter—rocking on my heels—hands behind my back so he doesn’t see them shake.
“Because I stopped him.” The glare Aaron is leveling me with is actually quite terrifying. “While you just kept kneeling for him.”
“You’re making it sound worse than it is— this isFelixwe’re talking about. I’ve slept naked with him.” He shrugs, still drumming away at the table.
“Before you were officially mine, yes.”
“Aaron—”
“It’s not about your intentions, Benjamin. I know what they were. It’s about teaching you what boundaries look like—what youshouldn’tdo with other men.” I swallow harshly, nodding. “For example:neverlet another man see you on your knees for him again.” I try not to get hard as I nod some more—watching him with wide, panicked eyes.
“I’m sorry.” I say quietly. He tilts his head just a bit.Oh fuck.
“We’ll see.”
???
Thirty minutes later I’m standing by the bar when Aaron approaches me. I haven’t gone near him since the Felix fallout. I’m scared of popping a boner. But now he walks up to me—staring down at me with a stern expression.
“Dance with me.” He says—holding a hand out for me. Even in his anger he wants to do these romantic couple things andthat makes my heart flutter.
“Okay.” I say. Aaron holds one of my hands out to our side to guide us and wraps his other arm low around my waist. He’s pulled me tightly against him as we step—keeping to a small little circle of our own making. I rest my head on the front of his shoulder next to his collarbone. He’s buried his face into my hair—breathing me in deeply—repeatedly.
“Are you okay?” Aaron suddenly asks and I shrug.
“In what sense?” Because I can’t say yes without lying. He reads me like a stripped-down—soaking-wet—hot-to-the-touch—open book.
“There’s been something bothering you since the ceremony. What is it?” I sigh against him—turning my face more toward his skin.
“We can talk about it later. This is Fe’s day—not mine.”
“No one can hear you but me, and every day is your day in my world.” This makes me laugh a little as I pull back and rest my arm around his shoulders while we dance.
