“What?”
Jasper shrugged. “That’s….”
He raised an eyebrow when Jasper trailed off. “Not as dickish as you expected?”
“I don’t really think you’re a dick,” Jasper said softly.
Vincent turned his full attention back to the road, a pleased smile tugging at his lips. His free hand found its way into Jasper’s hair, threading through the soft strands.
Maybe Jasper wasn’t the only one a bit touch-starved.
THE DOUBTand anxiety that had fucked off all afternoon and evening finally tried to wriggle back into existence as they returned home that night. Jasper thought he’d hidden it well, but as soon as they reached the bedroom, Vincent tugged him around to face him.
“What’s wrong?”
Jasper groaned and buried his face in Vincent’s chest. He bit his tongue against a reflexive “Nothing” and let out a long breath. “I’m wondering what happens, I guess. After our contract ends.” They only had a couple of weeks left, and he wasn’t sure he could say goodbye yet.
“I was thinking of offering a new one. A longer one—for a year maybe.” Vincent said the words easily, like he hadn’t shaken Jasper to the core.
He squeezed his eyes shut, his breath shuddering out of him. He hated how relieved he was by that simple answer. Even if he hadn’t meant for this to be anything more than a few weeks of fun, he couldn’t deny he wanted it to last. Vincent was the best thing to happen to him since Amber took him in.
“So what exactly would that make us? If I sign again.”
“What do you mean?”
Jasper swallowed hard.Don’t do it. Don’t ruin it.“I mean, will I still be a pet, or…?”
“Ah.” Vincent tightened his arms around Jasper. “Will we be boyfriends or lovers?”
Jasper nodded against Vincent’s chest, even though he was terrified of the answer.
“Is that what you want?”
More than anything.“I guess.” He blinked as Vincent nudged him back a step and tilted his chin up.
“Honesty, pet.”
He leaned back, barely resisting the sudden urge to slap Vincent’s hand away. “What about you?” he snapped. “Why do I always have to say what I want, but you don’t?” His chest seized, and he held his breath, clenching his hands into fists as he braced for Vincent’s anger.
Vincent blinked at him before letting out a soft breath. “You’re right.”
Jasper stared, his breath sticking in his lungs before survival instinct forced him to breathe again. “What?”
“I may have been holding back, but in this case, the label doesn’t matter to me. A contract says you’re mine. I’m willing to offer a longer one if that’s what you want. Some kind of relationship is to be expected with that, and I would require us both to be tested in that case. Which label would you prefer?”
“Uh,” was Jasper’s intelligent response. He was still trying to process being told he was right, let alone the idea of a longer contract with an actual relationship attached. “Boyfriend?”
“All right.”
No way was it that easy. He should have left it at that, but he couldn’t help but ask, “Boyfriends means dates, then, right?”
Vincent’s lips twitched towards a smile. “It can.”
Jasper nodded, reaching for Vincent’s shirt and curling his fingers into the material. “Wednesdays,” he said decisively. No way was he going back to waiting a whole week to see Vincent again. “And holidays. Do birthdays count as holidays?”
“If you want them to.”
He rolled his eyes. “Of course I want them to. You’re spending my birthday with me.”
