Page 33 of My Bodyguard’s The Boss

“You want what?” Dominic asked.

Austin swallowed. Dominic wanted to bite his Adam’s apple. Wanted to feel it shift against his teeth.

“Uh,” Austin said. “Never mind. ‘S stupid.”

Dominic took his chin. He felt wired, like the adrenaline from herding Gail away from Austin had never faded.

“Tell me,” he said simply.

Austin’s lips parted. He glanced down at the bandage sticking out from under Dominic’s shirt, but only for a moment.

“Wanted you to take control,” he mumbled. “Doesn’t matter. You got hurt, you’re tired⁠—”

“Sir.”

Austin blinked. “Huh?”

“You want me in charge, you call me sir,” Dominic said slowly. “Come on, puppy. You know how this works.”

Austin’s eyelids fell to half-mast. It was like a shot of whiskey right into Dominic’s veins. Even though Dominic wasn’t drinking, as per the doctor’s orders. The painkillers still hadn’t worn off.

“Yes, sir,” Austin said.

“Good.” Dominic squeezed his jaw, just enough to feel Austin’s cheeks give under the pressure, the deep satisfaction in knowing Austin would let him do it. Then he stepped back, dropping his hand. “Take off your clothes.”

Austin touched his shirt buttons. Then he faltered, glancing at the stairs that led up to the bedroom.

“No,” Dominic said. “Here. I want to see you.”

Austin huffed a shaky laugh and started undoing his shirt. “Fine, but I’m going to look pretty fucking stupid climbing the stairs with my dick out.”

“Guess I’ll have to carry you,” Dominic said.

Austin fumbled the next shirt button. The next one went even faster, and Dominic watched with growing satisfaction as Austin stripped his shirt off and started on his belt, stepping impatiently out of his shoes. Once both were gone, Austin tucked his thumbs under his boxers and paused.

“All of it?”

Dominic nodded.

There was no hesitation this time. Austin shucked his boxers and kicked them into the growing pile of clothes and then looked up at Dominic, only a hint of nervousness in his expression. Mostly he looked relieved. It made Dominic fiercely glad he hadn’t walked out that door. Sure, he didn’t have to take care of Austin off the clock. But god, he wanted to.

Dominic didn’t touch him at first. He just looked him up and down, letting his gaze linger as he walked around Austin’s bare body in the low living room light.

Austin was so beautiful. Underfed, sure, which Dominic would have to do something about. But also smooth and inked and pampered soft.

Dominic wanted to mark him up with something other than tattoos. Cover him with bite marks and bruises in the shape of his fingers around his throat and on his ass.

“You’re perfect,” Dominic said.

Austin snorted quietly and flexed his stomach, showing off his abs. Dominic slid a hand over his belly, feeling Austin’s sharp gasp.

“Don’t pull that shit here,” Dominic said. “No performing. Not for me.”

“Habit,” Austin muttered. But his stomach relaxed beneath Dominic’s palm, letting Dominic feel the thin layer of fat that Dominic wanted to bite.

He kept walking around Austin, admiring him from every angle: his defined calves, the almost-invisible hairs on his arms, how his tattoos rippled with his movements.

“You should have stripped for me if you wanted me so bad,” Dominic told him, dragging his hand slowly around Austin’s hips. “I could never say no.”