Jasper moved as if he was trying to sit up before slumping in defeat when his position and restraints made that impossible. “I wouldn’t mind doing it again.”
“Wouldn’t mind?” Vincent asked dryly. “Did you hate it that much?”
“I didn’t hate it,” Jasper whispered, the pink darkening to red.
“No?”
“It was… weird.”
Vincent hummed as he nudged and twisted the plug. “What part did you like about it?”
Jasper shifted enough to glance over his shoulder, briefly meeting Vincent’s eye before smashing his face into the cushion so his words were muffled. “I liked that you liked it.”
Vincent breathed through the burst of fondness in his chest and mussed Jasper’s hair. “I’ve liked everything we’ve done.”
“Yeah, but….” Jasper flexed his fingers, and when Vincent pressed his own hand against them Jasper latched on with a soft sigh. “Youreallyliked it. You were all growly and possessive.”
“And you like that?” he asked, lowering his voice and gripping Jasper’s hip to tug him closer.
Jasper rocked onto his side to press back into Vincent’s stomach. “Uh-huh. Makes me feel like you want me,” he said, flicking his tongue out to wet his lips. “Like I’m welcome here.”
“Of course you’re welcome here,” Vincent said. He gripped Jasper’s arm to haul him upright so he could catch his lips in a kiss. “You’re mine until you say otherwise.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jasper breathed, already curling his body into Vincent as he sought out another kiss, and then another, and Vincent lost track of the movie completely.
Chapter 4
JASPER ADJUSTEDhis suit for the umpteenth time as they headed into the performing arts center. He’d never been to a concert before, or was this considered a symphony? Violinist Ugetsu Kunihiko was his favorite artist and had been for the last several years. Jasper had found his music during his freshman year of high school, shortly after his brother moved out and left Jasper to deal with their drunken asshole of a father on his own.
He’d never told anyone that he’d contemplated taking his own life back then. The stress of school, of trying to find food in a house that rarely had more than booze, of the constant yelling and threats of violence. There’d been no reason to continue. No one would have missed him. His father kept a loaded gun in his dresser that Jasper had taken out at least twice, though he’d never been able to go through with it.
Then he’d heard someone listening to Ugetsu’s music in the stairwell during lunch. He hadn’t understood a word of the Japanese lyrics, but the dark violin music and soulful voice had stopped him in his tracks. He’d immediately searched the artist with an identifier app on his phone and spent the weekend downloading and listening to every song released, finding translations of the lyrics, and losing himself in the one thing he could focus on enough to pretend his life wasn’t the shitty clusterfuck it was for a few hours each day.
Vincent’s hand brushed against Jasper’s, grounding him back in the here and now. In the hot summer evening and the sweet scent of the flowers blooming along the path. In the hotter press of Vincent’s hand against his lower back as he guided Jasper into the building. In the sharp-yet-subtle scent ofVincent’s cologne—spicy and woodsy and somehow the epitome of mind-blowing sex. Or maybe that was Jasper’s bias; he liked how Vincent smelled.
And now he was utterly distracted for an entirely different reason.
He tilted his head into Vincent’s shoulder and breathed deep with a soft moan. His eyes fluttered shut as he stepped closer, nearly tripping them both as his leg pressed into Vincent’s with every step. Instead of pushing him away, Vincent slipped his hand from Jasper’s back to his hip and held him there.
Jasper didn’t even try to fight his grin as he wrapped his own arm around Vincent’s waist. All his worries about tonight, whether they were overdressed or if Vincent would even enjoy this, became obsolete. He knew—hoped—Vincent would enjoy this because only an asshole with no musical taste at all couldn’t appreciate it. And their clothes didn’t matter. There were some in nice clothes, others dressed more casually, but Ugetsu’s music meant more to him than being comfortable in old jeans and a T-shirt.
Vincent led the way to their seats. Bottom balcony, dead center of the stage. He’d have to thank Amber again; no way were these seats cheap.
They sat, and Jasper leaned forward, tucking his hands under his thighs as he scanned the theater, surprised but pleased to see it filling so quickly. He hadn’t been sure what to expect since this wasn’t a rock concert or big-name band. He tilted his head enough to glance at Vincent from the corner of his eye. His legs were crossed and he had his phone out, but Jasper leaned over enough to bump his shoulder against Vincent’s arm.
“Thanks for bringing me here,” he murmured. “You didn’t have to.”
Vincent slipped his phone into his pocket after silencing it and turned a mild frown on him. “Do I not owe you one date most weeks?”
Jasper shrugged. Sure, Vincent had put that in the new contract, but most of their dates so far had been dinner followed by some kind of scene. This was the first time they’d gone out as a couple that wasn’t to the club or a restaurant. He’d been so excited over the concert itself that he hadn’t realized that until now, and the burst of nerves in his stomach joined the others that had been growing since Vincent offered to take him away on a two-week vacation. Just them. Far enough away that no one could bother them or drag Vincent into work.
Starting tomorrow, he’d have Vincent completely to himself for fourteen days.
On one hand,yessss. On the other…. Holy shit, what if he fucked something up? Two weeks was a long time to be around someone. What if he got on Vincent’s nerves? What if Vincent got onhisnerves? He doubted that would happen. He really, really hoped that didn’t happen, but it wasn’t like they’d be having sex twenty-four seven. He’d at least learned that lesson early.
He blinked as Vincent grasped his chin and tipped his head back, his attention zeroing in on Vincent’s dark hazel eyes that were focused on Jasper.
Vincent was silent for a beat before tracing his thumb beneath Jasper’s lower lip. “I enjoy spending time with you.”
