As soon as the ferry stopped and they opened the gate, James stepped off. He weaved a little and Alec grimaced. Poor guy was probably sick. And then James giggled. Slate hopped onto the dock and grabbed James’s arm as he lurched toward the edge. “Come on,” Slate encouraged and hauled an arm over his shoulder. “All little drunks need to get off the dock.”
“Drunk?” Alec spluttered as the two of them got close.
Slate grimaced while James looked up. His eyes were glassy and he looked three sheets to the wind. “Zippo,” he called in a happy voice and tried to hold his arms out. Instantly he tripped. Zippo tried to get out of Alec’s arms, but he held him tight.
“What the hell, Slate?” Alec asked, unable not to be irritated. James had never had a sip of alcohol in his presence. He’d assumed the man didn’t drink.
“I thought having a drink would help him with his sea sickness,” Slate said. “You know. Get his mind off it.”
“Did it?” Alec grabbed James’s other arm and pulled it over his shoulder. Zippo struggled to get to his owner.
“Well,” Slate said and winced. “It never occurred to me that he never drank so he might be a lightweight.”
“What did you give him?”
“Nothing big. Just a glass of red wine.”
“Wine,” James said in a sing-song tone. “Tastes good to me-e-e-e.”
Slate snickered. “Newsflash. He’s a happy drunk.”
Great. There went the sexy plans Alec had for the evening. Instead he’d be pouring coffee down James’s throat. “One glass?”
“Well. His glass and then he wanted to try mine as well.” Slate started to laugh. “The more he drank, the happier he became.”
Shit. “Slate, I’m going to take him to my place. Can you get us some dinners from the cafeteria? I want to get food in him so that hopefully he won’t have a hangover.”
“It was only a glass and a half, maybe two thirds,” Slate objected.
“And when was the last time you ate?”
“Noon.”
“For a man who doesn’t drink, that’s a lot of alcohol sitting on an empty stomach.”
“You sure you can handle him?” Slate glanced over doubtfully.
Alec nodded and in one move put Zippo on the ground and lifted James up into his arms, still singing about red wine. “Hurry please.”
Slate snickered but took off at a jog.
“Your hair’s so soft,” James said and reached up to rub his palm over Alec’s head. “I always thought a buzzcut would be like running my hand over a beard. But it’s not.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Alec waffled between feeling annoyed and amused. James was a happy drunk. But he didn’t want him sick.
“Ssssslate and I talked about limits,” James proclaimed, waving his arm around.
That was good. Alec had hoped James would be able to discuss things with Slate he might not feel comfortable talking to Alec yet.
“I want you to spank me.”
The words carried in the cool air and Alec couldn’t help but chuckle. “Oh, I’ll spank you, all right. Turn your tush a fire engine red.”
A pleased sounding hum came from James’s lips. “I want to try leather and anal play and bondage.”
Amused, Alec nodded. “Sounds like fun.”
“Mmm-hmm,” James agreed. “I’d also like to try puppy play, but Zippo might get confused if I pee on his fire hydrant.”
Oh shit. Just what did Slate say to him? It was difficult to carry James, make sure he didn’t step on Zippo, and laugh at the same time. Drunk James had no filter.
“I’d like to try fisting too. Shove that huge fist up my ass. And I want you to bite me.”
If Alec made it home without either dropping James or coming from all the scene ideas going through his head, it would be a miracle.
“CBT scares me,” James said in a quieter voice. “But the thought of you torturing my cock excites me. How can that be?” Before Alec could explain that juxtaposition was natural, James continued on. “Is catheterization fun? Cause it sounds fun. And scary. I also want…” James chattered all the way back to Alec’s cabin about the limits he was fascinated in. If those limits ended up on his limit’s list, the two of them were going to have one hell of a lot of fun.
“Is double penetration even possible with guys?” James asked as Alec put him back on his feet so he could unlock his door. “Oh,” he said, laughing as he answered his own question. “I guess so. One in the ass, one in the mouth.”
“Or two in your ass,” Alec said as he guided James toward his sofa. “That can be fun.”
Zippo yipped and bumped into his leg, so Alec removed the halter and lifted him onto James’s lap.
“Zippo,” James sang. “I missed you today. Did you miss me?” Zippo’s enthusiastic kisses and yips seemed answer enough.
“I’m going to make you some coffee. Call if you need anything.”
Alec couldn’t help but be amused at all the information he’d just learned. If James was being completely truthful, the possibilities of the types of play they could get into would be incredible. He wasn’t going to count on any of it until he saw the actual list. While drunk, James might admit to things he would never agree to sober.
He poured enough water into his Keurig for a large coffee and put in a mocha pod. Alec had noticed that James had a thing for chocolate. While he waited, he poured himself a glass of water. Keeping alert while James came down from his high was important.
A chuckle from the living room made him smile. “Move over, Zippo,” James said. “I gotta pee.”
Alec quickly made his way to the sofa and helped James to his feet and upstairs to the bathroom. On the way up the stairs, James kept trying to pet his head. Once they signed a contract, he would put a moratorium on the amount of alcohol James was allowed to imbibe. He was damned cute while drunk, but he didn’t want James to use alcohol as a way to be honest. Nor did he want him to turn to it to get rid of his troubles. There had to be other ways to get his mind off sea sickness.
He held James upright while he peed and while he washed his hands. “Did you know they’ve got a creepy castle in Victoria?” James asked as they reached the bottom of the stairs. There was a slight difference in the energy he was expunging, as though a bit of the alcohol was beginning to burn off and his sober self was fighting it.
“I didn’t. Sit down while I bring in your coffee. Then you can tell me all about it.”
A loud knock came at his door and he went and opened it. Slate rushed in with three to-go containers. They smelled wonderful. “Food,” he called loudly.
“Food,” James called back and Zippo barked his agreement.
Alec and Slate set the table and then brought James to it. A slight exhaustion shown in his eyes, showing that his high was definitely falling. Alec placed the coffee in front of him. “Here. While you eat, drink this. It will help. Also, take these. You aren’t allergic to aspirin are you?”
“Nope.” James sipped some coffee and popped the aspirin back. He dug into the food in front of him as though he hadn’t eaten in days. So he was a hungry drunk as well. Alec hid a smirk. There was no way he was letting James try marijuana. He’d eat the whole house.
The more he ate, the less he talked. A dull pink flooded into his cheeks at one point, replacing the alcohol flush and Alec nodded. James had reached sober with a bang.
Slate noticed as well and packaged his food up. “I think I’ll eat the rest of this at home. Had a great time, James. We’ll have to do this again—maybe hit the peninsula—before the Faire opens. See you later.” He escaped more than walked out and Alec shook his head. That boy didn’t like being around when anyone was in danger of being punished. Not that he would punish James. They hadn’t agreed to anything yet. But if they had, the signs were all there.
James pushed the last potato around his plate with his fork and he looked slightly green.
“Are you all right?” Alec asked gently. “Do you need to throw up?”
As though startled to be spoken to, James’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No. I’m not nauseous. Not anymore. Ugh. I really hate boats.”
“Let’s get this cleaned up and then go sit on the sofa. I’d love to hear about your day.”
James moved slowly, but he helped clean up. Zippo was busy eating out of the food dish Alec put down for him, so once the dishes were clean, Alec led James out to the sofa and pulled him down next to him. The guy was as rigid as a board. “Why so stiff?” Alec murmured and pulled him closer. “You aren’t the first guy I’ve seen drunk, you know. You aren’t even the first guy in this room to get drunk.” He chuckled. “When I was in college, I went to a lot of frat parties. They usually kicked me out for being gay, but I drank lots while I was there.” And usually threw up and had a hangover the next morning.
A loud groan that Alec could feel as well as hear came from James. “I’m a fucking lightweight.”
Alec barked a laugh. “That you are. Then again, I get the feeling you don’t drink much. One and a half glasses of wine would not have done half as much if you’d drunk it on a full stomach. But on an empty stomach, I’m not surprised it went straight to your head.” He tugged lightly on James’s hair. “You’re kind of cute, drunk.”
James grinned slightly and he glanced into Alec’s eyes and then away. “I remember everything I said. I think.” More heat filled his face and he glanced at Alec from underneath his long eyelashes. “I wasn’t lying. Those things do interest me.” He gulped.
With a pat on James’s shoulder, Alec pressed a kiss to his brow. “We’ll discuss your limits tomorrow when you’ve been sober for a few hours and had a good night’s sleep. I won’t hold you to anything you said. The only thing I’ll focus on is what your list tells me.”
The way James relaxed told him there was probably at least one of those limits he would not want to try. At least not yet.
“Victoria was fun,” James said and leaned his head against Alec’s shoulder. “Slate was good to hang out with. He’s a total flirt,” he added with a snort. “Every guy we saw I swear he flirted with.”
“That’s Slate,” Alec agreed. “One of these days he’s going to find a more permanent partner. I don’t know how he’ll temper down the flirt gene he seems to carry.”
Zippo came in and Alec lifted him up onto their laps. He lay across both of them, with his head on James’s leg. With a sigh of contentment, Zippo’s eyes closed. Smiling, Alec scratched him lightly behind the ear. A slow snore had him look to his right. Amused, he barely stopped himself from laughing. James was asleep with his mouth open.
“Come on,” Alec said and he lifted Zippo down. He picked James up and carried him upstairs. After removing his clothes, he put him to bed and went downstairs to get Zippo. He turned off all the lights and went back upstairs. While Alec had the feeling Zippo usually slept in bed with James, he put a pillow on the floor. Two men in bed could squish such a tiny animal too easily. The little dog seemed happy enough with the puffy pillow as his bed.
He took a quick shower and after drying off, slid into bed next to James. Automatically, as if drawn to his warmth, James curled up against him. “Get some sleep,” Alec murmured. “Tomorrow will be a big day.” Once James was awake and caffeinated, he planned on discussing his limits. They may have only known one another for a couple weeks, but BDSM relationships had started on less. He wanted to protect and help James learn his way. That part would be easy. It was something he’d done for years. The dating part would be infinitely more difficult.
As he drifted off to sleep, he thought James just might be worth it.
Chapter Fourteen
James was a morning person. As he’d spent much of his adult life in the scene, Alec was more of a night owl. The morning after they’d had sex, he’d assumed James was up early because of work. But it was a Sunday and James was singing downstairs. Why was he singing? With a groan, he turned over and mashed his face into the pillow. The delicious scent that was James filled his nose and he inhaled. Sexy, sober man was downstairs. Why wasn’t he in bed where Alec could ravish him?
The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs filled his ears and Alec managed to turn over just as James came through the door carrying a tray filled with wonderful aromas. He smiled shyly when he saw Alec was awake. “Good morning. If I remember correctly, you and mornings don’t mix.”
“You could say that,” Alec grumbled as he pulled himself up.
James set the tray on his lap and sat down next to him. “Coffee and Belgian waffles with marionberry topping. Slate brought the makings for that an hour ago.” He ran his fingers through his hair which was still slightly damp from a shower. “Good thing, too. I can’t cook worth beans unless it comes from a box.”
The coffee called to him and Alec took a nice long drink of the pungent brew. It was his morning roast and almost immediately he felt a little more invigorated. He loved the aroma. And the warm scent of man coming from beside him. There were two plates covered in large puffy waffles and marionberries, but he cut off a piece and held it out to James, who opened his mouth obediently.
“Yum,” James groaned. “That’s so good. Can we kidnap him and make him cook for us?”
Alec chuckled but as he took a bite, he had to agree. Slate had a gift when it came to cooking anything sweet. “Where’s Zippo?” he asked after taking another drink of his coffee.
“Over there.” James pointed to the pillow.
“He can come on the bed,” Alec said. “I was afraid one of us would either roll on top of him or accidently kick him off in the middle of the night.”
James snorted and his eyes twinkled mischievously. “He and I had to learn the safest way to sleep in the same bed. The third or fourth night he was with me I woke up and something was moving under me. Seems I turned over right on top of him. He tends to curl up around my knees now because it’s safer.”
Alec started to laugh, imagining the poor little dog trying to get away. “Did he glare at you?”
“He was quite affronted. He forgave me when I stopped trying to smother him.”
Eating breakfast with James was a unique experience for Alec. He’d only experienced breakfast with subs while training them and that included them serving his breakfast to him in bed, staying quiet on their knees while he ate, and eating elsewhere on their own. It was nice and relaxing to sit there with James curled at his side as they chatted about nothing in particular.
“How’s the weather?” Alec asked when their plates were clean, he felt wonderfully awake, and was ready for the day.
“Cloudy but still nice. I checked out the area beyond the trees behind your cabin. It’s gorgeous.”
“Yes. It is.” Alec placed the tray to the side and leaned back, pulling James closer. “I think we should spend a lazy morning walking around and then this afternoon discussing your limits. What do you say?” The shudder that went down James’s body was not subtle. “James? You get a decision here. Are you ready to discuss limits? Or would you prefer to wait a week or two?” The longer they waited, the more nervous James would get, but Alec wasn’t going to force him into something if he wasn’t ready for it.
“No. I’m ready.” He sounded breathless. “I’m excited, actually. But nervous too.”
“Sounds natural enough to me. Would you prefer we discussed them this morning and walked around this afternoon?” Or perhaps played that afternoon. That definitely had possibilities. Maybe he’d call Kendrick and see if their dungeon equipment was in. Give James a tour.
“Could we? I think I’d feel better if we got that out of the way.”
“All right. Let’s get these dishes done and we can go down to your cabin to get your list.”
He’d kept the doggie gate up so James left the back door open for Zippo as they cleaned up the kitchen. It felt domestic, which was weirder than fuck. When he wasn’t training a sub, Alec kept everything clean, but when he was training a sub, invariably they were on cleaning detail. T
o clean with someone felt odd. And strangely good.
While James put Zippo in his halter, Alec sent a quick text to Kendrick.
Alec: Is the dungeon set up?
Kendrick’s response came back relatively quickly.
Kendrick: We have 3 dungeons this season. Two are completely outfitted. On Your Knees has equipment for intense play and The Playroom is for those who want something lighter. Dark & Dangerous is waiting for a certain someone *cough* to order the interior. HINT HINT.
Alec chuckled. One thing he felt strongly about was having a dungeon for the leathermen who visited the Faire. In his experience, the average dungeon just wasn’t outfitted for gay men, and not just in toy choices. Leathermen played harder than the average pansexual and they liked the entire ambiance a bit hard core.
Alec: I ordered everything in February. Most of the items should arrive late April. The toys should be here by early May.
Kendrick: In that case, there are two dungeons to play in if that is your need. Though I’m not sure if either is up to your level.
Alec: Not play. I want to show James around.
Kendrick: Good to hear. Becca adores him so much I thought we were going to have to get adoption papers.
By the time Alec slipped the phone into his pocket, Zippo was pulling at the lead, ready to go outside. “Come on. We’ll get your list, some coffee from Penny University, and go sit on the beach. Zippo can play with the waves while we talk.”
Chapter Fifteen
James was nervous. He’d gotten tipsy the night before because he knew that alcohol would make him admit to things he was afraid to say by the light of day. Alec had made it clear he wouldn’t accept a tipsy revelation. Which was wonderful in that it further intensified his trust in the man. However, it meant he would actually have to admit, while sober, that some of the scarier things on that list made his heartbeat race and his cock swell.
Making His Stand Page 9