“How rude.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
SINCE JASPERhad finals starting next week, Vincent dropped him off at home to study in peace before heading back to work.
When he returned in the void between late night and early morning, he found Jasper slumped over the dining table on top of his books. Vincent shook his head even as warmth curled its way through his chest. Coming home to Jasper waiting for him was something he could certainly get addicted to.
He moved up behind Jasper and leaned over him, kissing beneath his ear. “Time for bed, pet,” he murmured.
Jasper moaned in protest and sat up with a sleepy pout. “I’m awake.”
“Could have fooled me.” Vincent tugged Jasper to his feet, brushing his thumb against the line on Jasper’s cheek from a textbook. “Bed.”
Jasper nodded and immediately leaned into Vincent, using him as support as they headed up the stairs. Somehow he managed to undress on his own before collapsing into bed.
Vincent watched for a few moments, then shook his head and changed. Once in bed, his fingers immediately found their way into messy blond hair, curling tight with a quiet sigh of contentment.
With Jasper’s summer break around the corner, he planned to set aside ample time for them to figure out what they both wanted from this going forward. There’d be more issues to deal with, and more than a little exploring and experimenting, but that was half the fun.
Then there was Jasper’s birthday coming up.
He wasn’t sure what to get as a present. It was far too early to even be thinking of a permanent collar, and he wouldn’t suggest moving in together until they had more than a weekend at a time together. Maybe a vacation was in order. One or two weeks for them to be alone without work or classes to see how well they worked without a break from each other.
He fell asleep thinking of all the different places they could go.
MORNING CAMEfar too early, and Vincent was disappointed to find Jasper already out of bed by the time he woke up.
His disappointment faded when he reached the kitchen and Jasper offered him a cup of coffee, prepared exactly how he liked it. “Thank you, pet,” he murmured, not missing the faint, almost serene smile on Jasper’s lips.
“Breakfast is ready,” Jasper said, offering Vincent a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.
“How’s your studying coming?” he asked, taking the plate to the table. He stacked a few of Jasper’s books and set them aside so they had room to eat.
“Okay, I think.” Jasper settled next to him and dug in. “It’s easier to study here. ’S quiet.”
That was an understatement. A farm full of roosters would be quiet compared to a house with five other people. He sat back to sip his coffee as he studied Jasper. Despite not having any scenes planned for the weekend so Jasper could study, he still enjoyed having him here. Which made it all the easier to accept that he wanted to keep Jasper around longer.
“I’ve drawn up the new contract for you,” he said, hiding his amusement behind his cup when Jasper turned wide eyes on him. “The only thing missing is discipline and punishments, if you’re wanting to add them.”
Jasper swallowed his mouthful of eggs. “Do you want to add them?”
Vincent opened his mouth to say he wanted whatever Jasper wanted but decided against it. While true, he knew he needed to start telling Jasper some of his own preferences so they both understood where their tastes aligned. “Yes,” he said. “Punishments especially are something I enjoy, but discipline tends to make it easier to set and enforce boundaries.”
“Oh.”
“But it doesn’t work if that’s not something you want too. Your contract, your choice. The only nonnegotiable part I added is that we get tested. What we do with the results after is up to you.”
Jasper bit his bottom lip and poked at the bite of eggs he had left. “I couldn’t think of a suitable punishment for being a dick.”
Vincent tilted his head. “Could you think of unsuitable ones?”
Jasper snorted. “You said spanking was a reward. And sex wasn’t an option. Making me kneel in a corner seems pointless.”
“Why’s that?”
“You already scolded me, and I already apologized, so it’s all good, isn’t it?”
“Fair enough,” Vincent replied, raising an eyebrow when Jasper stared at him in surprise. “You thought I’d insist on additional consequences?” Jasper’s shrug wasn’t exactly shocking, but he still hated whoever had made him expect the worst about everything. That was likely his father, but there couldn’t have been many good examples in Jasper’s life if he was still this wary.
