Feeling a little guilty and a lot aroused, he put a smile on his face and rounded the counter to come up to Danny. The boy heard him and looked up just as Paul reached him. Paul bent down to press a kiss on those tempting lips.
“Good morning, Danny.”
The slave blushed and lowered his gaze. “Good morning, sir. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
Paul couldn’t resist carding his fingers through the boy’s hair before turning to the coffee. “Nope. I had a nice little lie in.”
Before he could grab a mug from the cupboard, Danny did so, then pulled the carafe out to fill it. “How do you like your coffee, Master Paul?”
Paul frowned. “With a little cream, but you don’t have to….”
He hadn’t managed to finish the sentence before Danny had whisked to the refrigerator and taken out the carton of half and half. He poured a dollop into the mug, stirred, and held it out to Paul for his inspection.
“Is this the right amount, sir, or would you like more?” The slave stared at a point somewhere over Paul’s shoulder, attentive without looking into his master’s eyes.
Shit, this was going to be harder than he’d thought. A slave couldn’t turn into a live-in boyfriend overnight. He’d known this; of course, he had. The idea of buying or even leasing a human being that you desperately wanted and building the same kind of life you would with another free person was unheard of. Almost unheard of. He’d found his way into chat rooms with people who swore they’d managed to achieve it. He’d stared at pictures of loving couples who represented themselves as free and slave, living side-by-side, flaunting convention and ignoring the censure of family and friends. But it took time to build that kind of rapport. Paul had to be patient.
He gave Danny a wide smile and took the mug. “It’s perfect.”
Those words seemed to please the slave. He returned the smile. “I’ll remember how you like it from now on, sir.”
“Thanks. I appreciate your making the coffee.” He took a sip and let the warmth slide down his throat. The kid brewed a better batch than Paul ever did. “Have you had breakfast?”
Danny shook his head. “No, sir. I waited for you.” The way he said it gave Paul the impression the boy meant to reassure his new master that he knew how to behave. “What would you like me to make, sir? I see that you have eggs and bacon.”
Leaning against the counter, Paul drank more coffee before answering. “You know how to cook?”
“Yes, sir. My mother taught me.”
“Oh, that’s right. I remember Ben saying she’s the Tanner’s housekeeper.” Danny nodded. “You work with your father, too, I know. Do you and he see your mother often?”
“About once a month, sir. I’m very fortunate. We’re very fortunate.”
Paul kept his smile firmly in place and nodded in agreement, even though it made him sad to think a slave couldn’t take being with his family for granted. Paul certainly did. Sometimes his parents and his sister drove him so batshit crazy that he wished they lived far away. Then he remembered how much he loved them and appreciated how lucky he was to have them around. He took another long slug of coffee while he hid his discomfort. If Danny noticed anything off, he didn’t show it. Of course, he didn’t.
“How would you like your eggs cooked, Master Paul?”
“How do you like yours?” Maybe asking the slave such a question was a little too much too soon, but he wanted to be clear with Danny that his opinion mattered.
“I like them all ways, sir.”
Okay, so the world wasn’t going to be remade on the first morning. “Let’s have them scrambled with some bacon and toast.”
“Yes, sir.”
When the slave turned back to the refrigerator, Paul topped off his coffee. He wanted to stay where he was, standing in the kitchen and watch the boy work. He couldn’t believe Danny was actually, finally, there. Everything about the guy fascinated Paul. The subtle beauty of his olive-toned skin, the grace of his slight body. The way his bright teeth gnawed at his lower lip when he concentrated, as he was now, pulling out everything he needed to fix breakfast. But he could only imagine how uncomfortable his presence made the boy while he tried to work.
Reluctantly, he left to go plop down in front of the television to watch the news. “Be sure to make enough for two, Danny,” he called over his shoulder. He needed to be clear with the boy until they fell into a rhythm that worked for both of them.
“Yes, sir.”
Paul sighed inwardly as he pressed the remote’s power button. Patience. Eventually they’d get past the sir and the master and it would be just Paul and Danny, two guys living together, sleeping together, building a life together. That was the goal and he’d waited a year to get to this morning. He could wait a while longer.
The news proved to be depressing so he switched over to the sports channel and got caught up on the latest scores and standings. With his feet propped against the edge of his coffee table and a delicious cup of coffee in his hands, Paul sat like the king of the hill. His family had always been solid lower middle class. Everyone worked hard carving out a decent life for themselves, taking nothing for granted and relying on themselves first and foremost. Never in his life had he been waited on unless one counted being sick as a kid and having his mother bring him soup in bed after she came home from work. Which he didn’t. Certainly the Graham family had never owned a human being. Having someone else literally slaving away in his kitchen unnerved him.
Paul muted the television when Danny brought him a plate of fluffy eggs, crisp bacon and buttered toast. He also handed Paul a fork wrapped in a paper towel. He hope the slave hadn’t spent too much time looking for a paper, or an actual cloth, napkin, a thing that had never existed in this household. He bet the Tanner’s had the real thing and more. He realized with a sudden burst of insight and unease that despite being a slave, Danny was undoubtedly used to a higher standard of living. Oh, well, no use dwelling on something that he couldn’t fix. Instead he winked at Danny.
“Thanks, this looks and smells delicious.”
Danny smiled shyly at him, obviously pleased with the praise. Paul would do well to remember how important it would be to a slave to be reassured he’d done a good job. And, that thought led to speculation about how often and how severely Danny had been punished in his life. Just the thought of someone hurting this boy made Paul’s blood boil. No way he’d ever lay a hand on him. His feelings must have shown through his expression because Danny’s smile faltered.
“Is something wrong, Master?”
Crap. He needed to be more careful about his demeanor. “No, everything is great. Thanks.” Putting his coffee mug on the table, Paul took a forkful of eggs and popped them into his mouth. Perfect. A restaurant couldn’t have done any better and he said so. Danny practically beamed at the compliment. “Go get your own plate and come eat here with me,” Paul said around another mouthful of food.
Danny did as told, although Paul noticed that the kid’s plate contained a lot less food. He hoped it didn’t mean Danny was trying to be frugal in his upkeep. He also didn’t sit on the couch next to Paul. Instead, he knelt at Paul’s feet. Paul opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. Baby steps, he reminded himself, plus something about the vision Danny made, almost as a supplicant, make Paul’s cock twitch. For a brief second, he understood the appeal to people of owning another person and having them totally under your control, before ruthlessly squashing it. He would not treat Danny as anything other than an equal as much as the law and the slave allowed.
As soon as their plates were clean, Danny turned into the Flash and had the dishes, silverware and Paul’s empty mug rinsed and in the dishwasher before Paul had a chance to help. Then the slave stood expectantly by Paul’s side, waiting for instructions. Because he could and wanted to, Paul stood and gave Danny a not-so-quick kiss. It pleased him tremendously when after a moment’s hesitation, Danny leaned into him and more or less kissed him back. It didn’t last long or in
volve any tongue, but it satisfied Paul nevertheless. When he pulled back, he saw that Danny’s lips were plump and wet from the encounter. Good. Baby steps and all that.
“Thanks for taking care of the dishes.” Ignoring the look of surprise on the slave’s face over being thanked for doing his job, Paul headed for the bedroom. “Let’s get dressed. I need to check up on a job this morning. Then we can do some shopping.”
Danny dutifully followed him, although he was basically dressed already in a T-shirt, jeans, socks and beat up sneakers. Paul looked forward to beefing up the kid’s wardrobe. Paul dressed quickly and brushed his teeth again. Danny did the same once Paul had finished, the slave being careful to stay out of Paul’s way while sticking close enough to be of use if needed. Paul supposed a slave learned how to do that very early in life, always Johnny on the spot or bear the consequences of screwing up.
Within fifteen minutes, they were in the truck heading to the site. Paul looked at the area he drove with fresh eyes. The places he knew so well were all new and unfamiliar to Danny, so he took the time to point out things. The slave remained attentive as always. Paul could almost see the cogs turning in the boy’s mind as he strove to learn and retain information that he might need in the future. Paul found the focus on him kind of rewarding. It was almost like being a teacher with an adept pupil. He pulled into the work site and explained the project to Danny.
“This is going to be a small office building, thirty thousand square feet spread over three floors. The developer is someone I’ve done a lot of projects with and he’s paying for us to work Saturdays to get it finished by July.”
After parking the truck, Paul killed the engine and took a moment to study the progress so far. Enormous pride filled him. It was going to be a beautiful building and his crew was doing an awesome job. This project would lead to more, bigger and better jobs. He still couldn’t believe he’d built his company up to such a successful level in just a few years. If things kept going the way they had, he’d be able to pay off his house, maybe even build an addition. But, he was getting ahead of himself.
“Come on.” He jumped out of the truck and headed to his project manager, Leon. He didn’t look to see if Danny followed him. He knew the slave would. He could see Leon’s gaze shift from Paul to a point just behind him. The manager’s too-knowing eyes drifted back to Paul and he quirked his eyebrows at his boss. Paul ignored the unspoken question.
“Hey, Leon, how’s it going?”
“Good, Boss. The roofer’s almost finished getting the flashing up.”
Scanning the top of the building, Paul nodded. “Excellent. The client will be happy to hear we’re ahead of schedule.” Danny stepped up into Paul’s peripheral vision, and Paul watched the slave as he scanned the worksite. The boy’s face lit up with interest, making Paul wish he had thought to lease him for construction work. Not that Tanner would have let the slave go given how good Danny supposedly was with woodworking. Paul clasped him around the shoulders and pulled him against his side without even thinking about it. Other than a slight twitch at the initial touch, Danny came easily. Leon’s eyebrows went up again.
“Leon, this is Danny. I’m leasing him on the weekends from Tanner Lumber.” Paul didn’t bother adding that Danny was a slave. The collar alone made that clear.
“Hey, Danny. How’re you doing?”
“Fine, thank you, sir. I’m very pleased to me you.” Once again, Danny fixed his gaze in a way that was both attentive and respectful without being a challenge to Leon’s status as a freeman.
Leon shoved his hands in his front pocket and gave Paul a “really?” look over Danny’s head. “Where should I put him on the crew?”
“He’s not here to work. He’s just going to hang out with me while I inspect everything.”
Leon’s expression morphed into a shit-eating grin. “I see.”
Danny’s shoulders hunched under Paul’s hold, as if he were trying to make himself smaller. The project manager’s scrutiny obviously made the kid uncomfortable. Paul glared back at Leon. “I’m going to get on with it. I’ll see you later when I’m done.”
“Sure thing, Boss.”
Moving his hand until it lay at the back of Danny’s neck, Paul went to first pick up a hardhat for each of them, then stepped inside the building. He had to let go of his slave to walk around freely and pretty soon, he was so immersed in his job, he kind of forgot Danny trailed him like a devoted puppy. Of course, each time Paul stopped to talk to one of his crew, the guy’s attention would be taken momentarily by the slave’s presence. No one actually asked about Danny, but they sure as hell noticed him. A few guys who’d been with Paul since the beginning were bold enough to give him a smirk or two. Paul just shrugged it off. He didn’t feel like explaining himself to everyone. Besides, he’d always been open about his sexual orientation. It was only the fact that he’d chosen a slave for companionship that was noteworthy. So, he moved from person to person, getting the updates he needed and lending a hand when warranted.
The bleating of the lunch truck’s horn startled Paul into realizing he’d been at the site for a few hours. His stomach rumbled at the information. He jumped down from the scaffolding, joining Danny where he’d left him not long ago. The poor kid must have been bored, just hanging around watching others work. Of course, he didn’t give so much as a peep of complaint. He dutifully fell into step behind Paul. There really was nothing more to keep them on the site. Paul only had to talk to Leon about a few things and then they could leave. First though, they also needed to eat. Pulling out a twenty, Paul stopped and handed it over to Danny.
“Time for some lunch, kiddo.” He tossed his head in the direction of the lunch truck. “I’ll take a roast beef sandwich on a sub roll, fully loaded, plain potato chips and a bottle of water.”
Danny took the bill. “Yes, sir.” He started to trot away. Paul stopped him.
“Oh, and Danny? Make sure you get two of everything, okay?”
Danny shot him a quick smile. “Yes, Master. Paul,” he amended before taking off again.
Leon sidled up to Paul. Paul ignored his project manager, enthralled in watching his slave leave. Damn, but that boy had a fine body. Danny’s ass in particular made Paul want to run after him and grab it with both hands. It would fit so nicely in his palms.
“If I were into boys, I’d be into that one for sure,” Leon remarked. He followed up with a firm, sex fueled grunt.
Paul elbowed him lightly in the stomach. “Shut up.”
Except inside, Paul was making the same noise. He wanted the slave so badly, but he had a plan for the day and it involved showering Danny with gifts and attention. He had less than forty-eight hours to convince the slave to stay with the leasing program. The thought that Danny would tell Ben he didn’t want to be with Paul anymore made his stomach clench. He had to show Danny what their life together could be, how much better it would be than the one he currently had. He didn’t know if he could manage it. He only knew he couldn’t stop trying.
Chapter Five
Danny placed the lunch order with the pretty girl behind the window, then stood to one side while a couple of construction workers did the same. He ignored the sly looks sent his way and tried to be as invisible as possible. He’d been getting that kind of attention since they’d arrived. He’d paid it no mind because it wasn’t his concern. He did as his master told him to and went where his master went, determined to prove how good a slave he could be. What other people thought of his presence was something for his master to worry about or not at his discretion. As long as he got to stay with Master Paul, Danny remained content.
Besides, being at the construction site fascinated him. He’d enjoyed every minute of listening to his master talk to the other workmen and inspect what’d been done that morning. The experience made Danny realize that he loved not just woodworking, but building in general. He counted his blessings that the master hadn’t left him home doing housework. Not that he would have complained or a
nything, and he’d have made that house sparkle. He was desperate to prove his usefulness given his horrible performance the previous night. God, his cheeks flushed with mortification just thinking about it. And if puking up his master’s cum hadn’t been horrible enough, he’d lain trembling in the master’s embrace afterward. No wonder the man hadn’t even bothered to fuck him. Who would have wanted to risk being thrown up on?
Danny vowed to do better. He’d already started down the road of redemption by cooking a good breakfast. The master had seemed to like it anyway. Tonight, Danny would pull out all of the stops, be the sexy, eager boy the master had obviously been looking for when he’d asked for Danny in the first place.
“Here you go, honey.” The woman placed a large white bag and two bottles of water on the order window counter and smiled down at him while she snapped her gum. She gave Danny his change back after he handed her the twenty, and smiled even more brightly when he put a dollar in her tip jar. He hoped his master would be okay with that. He hadn’t led a completely sheltered life. He understood that free people in low paying service jobs often got tipped.
He pulled the bag and bottles into his arms. “Thank you, ma’am.” Even though the woman didn’t look much older than he, she didn’t wear a slave collar, so the rules were simple. An adult freewoman was always ma’am to a slave.
“Sure thing.” The look on her face told him she obviously liked his respect. Maybe it was a rarity in her life given her age and job. Danny liked the idea he’d made someone happy even in such a small way.
He walked back to his master, keeping his eyes mostly cast downward. Still, he could tell the man watched him the whole way. The heat of the gaze reached him across the expanse of ground between them. The attention warmed him, sending little tingles of pleasure across every inch of his skin. Perhaps the master would take him home and fuck him after they ate. His cock liked the idea even if his stomach quivered with nerves.
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