Ms. Anderson looked dubious. “Not with that necklace around her neck. I understand that this place is supposed to be accepting, but you can’t possibly expect women to take sex advice from someone who has never had a vagina.”
Right, the silver trans pendant. Tim got that for Gloria for her birthday a year ago.
“Ms. Anderson.” Tim closed the folder containing the application and walked to the door, opening it. “Look, I don’t think you will be a good fit for us. Thank you for stopping by.”
There was so much he wanted to berate the woman about, perhaps with a loud voice and swearing, all ending in “Get the fuck out, you phobic piece of shit.” But he was a gentleman and would give her a chance to leave with some dignity intact.
Also he didn’t want to scare any customers inside.
Ms. Anderson seemed to get the hint, getting up and tugging her suit straight. “That’s all? Well, I intend to inform everyone in my reading group that this place is run by a woman-hating gay man and a deluded cross-dresser.”
Oh, that was it. “If your reading group is as ignorant as you are, ma’am, then I would not want them in my shop in the first place. Good day.”
He followed the woman with his gaze as she marched from the back office to the door, and didn’t stop staring until the bell rang, signifying that she had gone.
It was then he realized he had an audience. Gloria was staring at him from the counter. So was Jae, from the other side.
Gloria whistled. “I’ve heard of the term ‘butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth,’ but I never thought I’d see it. Damn. What was her malfunction?”
Tim sighed and headed to the counter. Seeing Jae was both a surprise and a relief. He couldn’t go full pet while on the job, but standing at his side, receiving a kiss on his forehead, was grounding. “You were her malfunction. Fucking cissexist.”
Gloria rolled her eyes. “Oh please, let me guess: she thinks I’m a man? Did you tell her?”
“Hell no, it’s none her damn business what’s in your pants.”
Jae raised a finger. “Question?”
“My genes are weird.” Gloria answered. “I’ve got this Adam’s apple, but these titties and curves are homegrown. I’ve got ovaries that don’t work, but a dick that works sometimes. Confused the shit out of my parents when I came out of the womb. They raised me as a boy, but they were wrong. Oh so wrong.”
Tim grumbled, “It’s just the first time I had someone walk into my shop and act a damn fool about it. I’m sorry, Gloria.”
She shook her head, leaned over the counter, and kissed Tim’s cheek. “For what, my knight in swishy armor? You had to deal with her, not me. And she’d better be glad she didn’t have to deal with me. I would have knocked her ugly-pants ass out.”
Oh, the assault charge would probably do more for the shop’s reputation than some bitch whining to her reading group. “I’m glad you didn’t hear what she had to say either. And dear Lord was that getup ugly as hell.”
The bitchy banter was nice to blow off steam for a moment, but Jae was here, and Tim wanted to see what was up. Besides, he had news for him.
“So what brings you to our humble shop?” Tim turned to face Jae properly.
“It can’t be for more condoms, your last order was for a one-hundred-count box,” Gloria chuckled, covering her mouth with a hand. At Tim’s glare, she shrugged. “Guess you want me to go check in some inventory upstairs?”
“If you could be so kind,” Tim said dryly.
She winked at Tim. “If I don’t come back down in ten minutes, you better come up there and guide me out of that labyrinth you call an apartment.”
Once Gloria swished herself up out of earshot, Tim went up on tiptoe for a better kiss that Jae happily returned.
“I’ve got great news,” he murmured against Jae’s lips.
Jae stole another quick kiss. “Funny, so do I.”
“You go first.”
“You sure?”
Another kiss. “No. I’ll go first. I’m too excited.” Tim stepped away from the temptation in a suit so he could think clearly. “I invited Poppa to come visit me, see how I’m doing since I moved out here.”
It would prevent a lot of worried calls from Georgia. And worried e-mails. That much worry wasn’t good for a man his age in his condition. And it made Tim worry and feel even guiltier. The last thing he needed was more worry.
Jae blinked for a moment, then started laughing, wrapped his arms around Tim, and held him tight. “Oh God, when is he coming?”
Tim didn’t object to the hug, but the laughing was weird. “We haven’t decided yet. I wanted to tell you first.”
Lips, still puffing breaths of quiet laughs, on his head. He’d done well to consider Jae in his plans. “Good, pet.”
Warmth started from that point of contact and spread throughout Tim’s body. He’d pleased his Sir. “I would have mentioned that I was thinking about it, but it just came out when we talked last night. So what’s so funny?”
Jae rested his cheek on Tim’s head. “If he can wait a week, he could also meet my folks.”
Tim suddenly jerked out of the hold, shoving Jae backward a step. “Wait, what? Your parents are coming over?”
“Yeah. Think about it. We’ll take care of the ‘meet the parents’ thing in one visit.”
Suddenly a list of things that Needed To Be Done started forming in Tim’s mind. The guest room needed to be dusted, the sheets washed, floor swept, fresh towels, and there was the living room and the kitchen, and the guest bathroom would need a full scrub, and—
Jae’s hand was in his hair, leaning his head back so their eyes met. “You have a week and you already keep the place spotless. That’s long enough. Relax.”
An order. He could follow that easy. Breathe in and then out.
“Is your dad staying with you?”
And then it was Tim’s turn to laugh, pointing at the ceiling. “Didn’t you hear Gloria? Hell no. He’ll get himself a nice hotel room, probably see the sights while I’m at work—oh fuck, Jae, the Leather Ball!”
Jae’s eyes opened in realization. “Shit. That same weekend, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Sir. That’s gonna be awkward. ‘Hey Mom, Dad, Poppa, I hope y’all don’t mind if we don our kinkiest and go out while you’re in town.’”
Jae tugged at Tim’s hair. “We can still do this. Your dad knows about you. My folks chose not to know. A night out together could be good for us in the middle of all that socializing, especially since we won’t be able to do much play at my house.”
Of course not. The guest room, which made a great place for a quick fuck or a spanking or just a corner when Tim misbehaved, would be occupied. Figuring out how things were going to work during these visits was going to be difficult.
And before he could even start that conversation, the bell on the door rang.
“We’ll talk later.” Jae kissed his lips once more and pulled away. “See you tonight.”
Thankfully it wasn’t Pantsuit again, but a group of young men heading straight to the kink section. Time to get back to work.
Chapter THREE
SECOND FRIDAY of the month, and Jae’s pet was making him very proud up on stage.
Master Reggie had him in a bit of a pickle. Hands behind his back, gripping his wrists, clover clips on both nipples, attached to each other and to a horse bit Tim held in his mouth by a thin chain.
If that sucker fell down, he’d be in a world of hurt.
Jae, and frankly the rest of the crowd watching Reggie’s premiere Predicament Play demonstration, were thoroughly amused at watching Tim dance about to the tune of the switch in Reggie’s hand. Each muffled moan and yelp was quickly stifled with a clenched jaw.
Adorable.
“How long do you think he can keep this up?” Reggie causally asked the audience, swatting at Tim’s thighs, leading him from one edge of the stage to the other. “Let’s place some bets. Five minutes? Ten?”
A woman call
ed from the front row, “Ten bucks says not even five!”
“Twenty on ten!” someone else right in front of Jae replied.
He snorted, having a great deal more faith in his pet’s stamina. “Forty for fifteen!”
Reggie looked right at him, as did Tim, whose eyes flashed with determination. Challenge accepted. “Someone start a timer.”
Master David, who was holding up the back wall next to Jae, lifted his smartphone in the air, already on the case with the display counting down from fifteen minutes.
As they watched Reggie mix up his blows, ordering Tim to lift a foot for a strike there, and Tim clenching that bit tightly, David leaned over to Jae and whispered, “Got some news for your boy that I think you should tell him.”
Oh, that didn’t sound good. Good thing said boy was occupied. “What’s up?”
“Reggie and me tried to stop the committee from doing this, but they’ve invited a certain jackass from Atlanta to the Leather Ball.”
Jae startled, turned to David, and couldn’t speak for a moment. Of course he knew who it was. The reason Tim fled across the country. The reason it was luck mixed with fate that Jae was the one to break past his closed-up “I don’t need a master” shell.
“Max Fielding,” he muttered. “Are you serious?”
“Apparently he’ll be in town anyway, and we couldn’t explain why that’s a bad idea without telling Tim’s story, and you know how bad of an idea that would be.”
Right, Tim ran off to avoid being sued for libel after that asshole nearly killed him in a scene gone wrong. Jae’s jaw felt about as tight as Tim’s was on stage. And he’d have to tell Tim about it. At least he could pick the time and place and have comfort on hand for the reaction.
Even still, he wasn’t looking forward to that conversation.
Tim’s howl of pain brought his attention back to the stage. The watch had dropped, and those clover clips were pulling at both nipples so hard he was bent over. Or maybe he was bent over already, and Jae wanted to kick himself for not paying attention. Now he’d have to ask what Reggie did that was the final straw.
Reggie quickly unfastened both clamps and hauled Tim to his side. There were tears in Tim’s eyes, but he hadn’t called “red.” Good. Besides, the bulge in his boxer briefs was sign enough that, while painful, it wasn’t completely unbearable.
“Shush,” Reggie cooed. “What’s the time, David?”
David quickly checked his phone. “Eleven minutes.”
A few groans of disappointment washed over the crowd, like they were all expecting fifteen minutes too.
“Good boy,” Jae called to the stage, and Tim visibly relaxed.
“Good boy indeed,” Reggie said, squeezing Tim close. “As far as I’m concerned, Predicament Play has the punishment built in, so no need to add injury to insult. Everyone give him a hand, and we’ll settle those bets after announcements.”
That was Jae’s cue to come and retrieve Tim and take him to the back for aftercare. Tim leaned against him once he was on the stage and was easily led to the back room. Those memories of listening to that heavy Southern accent the first time he saw Tim on that same stage, that spunk, never failed to make Jae grin just a little harder.
It was almost enough to make him forget about the terrible news he had to share.
But not now.
“I tried,” Tim gasped as Jae wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, then pulled him on his lap. “But you know Reggie.”
“He’s evil.” Jae laughed. “How are the nips?”
Tim moved the blanket to show him. Red, sure looked sore, but no broken skin. “I’m rocking undershirts for the next week, but they’re fine.”
“So I shouldn’t touch them?” Jae leaned close to blow cool air over the exposed one, making Tim nearly jump out of his lap.
“Maybe after a day, Sir.” Tim wrapped the blanket close around him again.
“Aw.”
David poked his head into the back room. “How’s my favorite training dummy doing?”
“He’s doing fine, dummy,” Tim muttered into Jae’s neck. “Tell Reggie they’re still attached.”
“Oh please, you loved it.” David snorted, exchanged a glance with Jae, and then sighed. “I better get him off the stage before they question him to death. You owe Madam Trudy that forty bucks, by the way, but she can wait for it. No rush.”
Once David left them alone, Tim was staring at him, his gaze steady. He didn’t miss that sigh. “What was that about?”
Jae wouldn’t insult Tim by feigning ignorance. “Later, when we get home. Right now, relax. You did a great job tonight. I’m so proud of you.”
Chapter FOUR
SOMETHING BIG was up, and not knowing what made Tim terrified.
He got dressed, they said their good-byes, Jae paid Trudy, they drove to Jae’s place, and Tim was in the kitchen making the man a drink. Kraken and Coke, his usual.
He was entirely too on edge himself for alcohol, so a bottle of water would work for him.
Once the drink hit Jae’s hand and Tim folded himself on the floor next to the couch, he was ready to hear anything. Or at least needed it to be over already. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Jae sipped at the dark liquid, swallowed, took his time, and Tim took it as a reminder of who was in charge. “You know David and Reggie are looking out for you, right?”
Tim sighed to keep his impatience in check. Better to hear it at Jae’s feet than in a corner, or worse, tomorrow. “Yes. I hope this isn’t about my demo stuff, is it? I thought we all agreed that—”
“Tim, Max Fielding is coming to town.”
Oh.
Tim suddenly couldn’t think of anything else. Just, oh. Oh, it’s raining. No, a dog just pissed on his foot.
The man who ruined his fucking life would be in the same city he was.
Jae was still talking. “David and Reggie tried to discourage the committee from offering him an official invitation, but there was only so much they could say and respect your privacy….”
Tim held up a hand. “Wait, an invite to where?”
“The Leather Ball.”
Now it was Tim’s turn to take a long drink before responding. Nice, cold water. Washing away the sudden taste of bile in the back of his throat. This was a joke, wasn’t it? A terrible, awful joke, and any moment now, Jae was going to say, “Surprise!” and hand him two tickets to Maui or somewhere they could spend all day in thongs.
But Jae’s expression didn’t change. Seriously concerned, waiting.
“Well.” Tim winced at how his own voice croaked. “I’m sure Reggie and David tried their best.”
Jae raised one of his eyebrows, but he said nothing.
In the interest of filling the silence, Tim added, “I suppose if the others didn’t know, they just didn’t know. It’s something I should have considered that I couldn’t hide forever.”
Silence.
“I’ll talk with Gloria, and we’ll see about arranging things with the ball. I won’t cancel our sponsorship, of course.”
And even more silence.
Rage licked up Tim’s spine, and he spat hot fire. “What are you waiting for? Say something, for fuck’s sake!”
“I’m waiting for that, for you to stop being so damned reasonable. Be angry, Tim. You have every right.”
Tim looked at the water bottle in his hand, and the urge to throw it at something—a wall, the kitchen, or even at Jae—was so strong he had to set it down on a coaster. “I’m fucking terrified. And pissed.”
He couldn’t even look at Jae anymore, and hated him a little for telling him anything. It was a good night, a great demo. The way his shirt had rubbed against his sore nipples was a great reminder of that, but now the scratchy sensation made him think of clamps long ago. And pain of the wrong sort. And waking up in a hospital.
And that shirt had to go. Now.
The wadded-up shirt hit the couch next to Jae, who reached down to rest a hand on his bare sho
ulder. But Tim flinched away from the touch. Too familiar, too much right now. His heart raced, and he needed to get away now. “I need a shower, Sir.”
“Go on, pet. When you’re ready, meet me in the bedroom.”
Bless that man. Bless his orders. Bless him for giving Tim something to focus on, for turning that need into something he could do for his Sir. His proper Sir who would never, ever hurt him like that.
He set the hot water on blast, ignoring the aches of the switches and the clamps, needing it all to overwhelm his mind so he could think straight.
And then he threw up. Thank fuck he was already in the shower.
“Tim?” Jae called from the other side of the door.
“I’m fine.” Okay, that was a lie. “It’s alright!” Also a lie. “May I have a moment?”
Silence met his request, so he hoped he was granted it.
Fuck Max. Fuck him and his fucked excuse for domming. Didn’t Reggie or David tell everyone he ended up on Do Not Play lists? Did that not make it to this side of the country? Didn’t Leather Aid vet their invites? How did this shit happen?
All Tim wanted to do was live his life in peace. He was regretting ever telling anyone about what happened to him. Gloria, Reggie, David, his closest friends could now be the ones to fuck him over. One slip, and Max would know they knew, and it would all be over.
Lawsuit. Losing everything he’d built.
Bile tasted awful coming out again.
He wanted to hide. Pack up and move again. Maybe Maui? Would Jae come with him?
Ridiculous. He was a grown adult, not a scared child. He had a business and friends and a lover with a life and friends and family of his own.
Tim had so many things to lose.
The water was growing cold as the thoughts raced through his mind. Nothing would settle down, not his mind, not his stomach that clenched over and over again.
He’d have to get out of the shower eventually. And no pretending to be “fine.” Damn it. The downside of being so open to Jae’s attentions was he couldn’t just hide. Not anymore.
Jae, for his part, was quiet when he finally emerged from the shower, still shaking. Tim was wrapped in another towel and led to the huge bed. He couldn’t sleep, but being in Jae’s arms helped him feel a little bit safer, not quite so alone.
Settling Down Page 2