He turned away from staring at the fountain outside, relaxing despite himself. “You know I didn’t,” he said dryly. Why she’d suggested he get such a horrendous lawn ornament he still didn’t understand, but it was basically a permanent fixture now. If she hadn’t been his therapist for the last several years—the only one he’d been able to stand for more than two sessions—he might have written it off as a joke. But she’d been one of his sole pillars of support since the accident that nearly destroyed his life. Had shined a light into some of Vincent’s darkest corners and never looked at him differently after.
He thought maybe the flamingo was meant to give him something outrageous to smile at every day, but even in the deepest depths of his pain and depression, it never elicited more than a strong desire to burn it. Now it’d been there long enough he wasalmostsentimental about it.
With a sigh, he sat in his usual chair and crossed his legs. “I’ve taken on a sub.”
“Ah.” If she hadn’t been Vincent’s therapist long enough to know every facet of his life, he might have been impressed by her lack of surprise. “The one you mentioned a couple of weeks ago?”
“Yes.” He realized he was flicking his foot and forced it to stop. He curled his fingers into fists against the arms of the chair to avoid tapping them too. He was not going to fidget. Except a glance at Dr. Cohn told him he was already too late to hide whatever he was feeling.
Fuck.
“And yes, he’s amazing,” he said, before he could backtrack. If there was going to be a “later,” now was the time. Even if he did want to keep Jasper to himself.
Sparing all the sordid details, Vincent let her drag out and help sort his complicated reactions to having a sub again.
Finding one who was compatible with him, at least on the level he needed, was exhausting enough he’d stopped searching ages ago. Or rather he hadn’t even tried. He woke up the day after kicking Adam out, too tired and apathetic to try again. He’d offered a few contracts in the years since, but never a second to the same sub. His work was enough to keep him busy, and playing in the club took the edge off enough he could usually ignore the rest of his desires.
And to have that hope shoved in his face now, when he was least expecting it and the least prepared…. Well, that was what alcohol was for.
Too bad he didn’t drink anymore.
They didn’t exactly uncover any earth-shattering revelations, but Vincent felt better by the end anyway. More at ease. Not quite as fatalistic.
He’d touched base with Jasper to ensure he was holding up. Not that he didn’t want to text more, but he had responsibilities, and Jasper had college. And he refused to be one of those overbearing Doms who tried to control everything. If Jasper needed him, he had to trust Jasper would reach out.
VINCENT MADEit to Wednesday before giving in.
He didn’t need a reason to call Jasper, but he ordered a gift anyway. A pale yellow glass plug and a matching dildo, a bit larger than the one he’d used on Jasper at the club. As well as lube. The local shop was one he’d frequented and still did on occasion for items he didn’t want to wait for in the mail. He knew the owner well enough to get same-day delivery by his own staff rather than a third party.
Once he got the notification that it’d been delivered, he called Jasper.
“Hello?”
“Try again,” Vincent replied.
There was a pause, and then Jasper said, “Hello, Sir?”
“Better.” Vincent sat back in his seat, absently flipping through his paperwork. “Did you receive my gift?”
“Yeah,” Jasper said, the grin evident in his voice. “Can I open it?”
“Not yet.” He’d teach Jasper patience even if it was teaching him to pretend. “How have you been?”
“Um. Fine?”
Vincent stifled a sigh, though he wasn’t too surprised by the response. He wasn’t one for idle chitchat either. “Pet.”
“Sir?”
“Nothing interesting the last few days?” he asked, and he could practically hear Jasper’s shrug.
“Not really. Aside from the shooter drill that happened this morning. It was before my classes started, though, so….”
Vincent frowned, unaware those even existed in colleges. “That sounds horrifying,” he said, keeping his voice neutral. It might have been a reminder of the gap in their ages, but he was glad he’d finished school when such things were less common.
“Yeah. I guess.” Jasper fell silent, and Vincent found himself at a loss for how to help. Thankfully he didn’t have to. “Just sucks, y’know? ’Cause they don’t announce it, so you never know if it’s real or not.”
“Fuck,” he said, not really meaning to say that aloud.
