“No.” Matthew’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I never found anyone I wanted to try having such a relationship with. Until now.”
“Thank you for this honor. I’ll try to be worthy of your trust.” Hugh reached over and gave Matthew’s hand a comforting squeeze. “The D/s and the sex I can definitely provide. As for the feelings, I’m sure they will come in time.”
“Will you tell me what you had in mind regarding us?”
“I want a companion. A partner. I don’t want only a lover or only a sub. I want both, and I want them with you.” Hugh paused, giving Matthew time to process. “I find you very attractive and I know we match on the kink side.”
****
Once the words were out, and Matthew’s face lit up from within, a weight lifted off Hugh’s shoulders. “I’d like that,” he continued.
“I’d like that too.”
“May I kiss you?”
Matthew’s eyes widened, but he nodded. Hugh closed the distance between them, gaze locked on Matthew’s. Cupping the man’s cheek, Hugh leaned in. Slowly, oh-so-slowly, Hugh brushed Matthew’s lips with his. He didn’t push further, but let the sensation build. Matthew shook, trembling with the need to remain upright. Hugh stepped closer, but still left some space between them, allowing Matthew to make the next move.
The trembling increased. Then the space between them was gone, with Matthew flush against Hugh, his shaking fading. Tentatively, Matthew placed one hand against Hugh’s chest.
Hope spiked, making Hugh’s heart jump. It was such a small gesture, but it meant so much.
Hugh prolonged the kiss for a few seconds more, then broke it. They weren’t at the stage of the relationship where he could simply go with the proverbial flow, so he kept at it only for as long as he thought right. Hearing Matthew’s little sigh of disappointment, Hugh had to fight off his impending grin. Oh yes, they were on the right track.
“You asked me how it can work.”
Matthew pulled back, a dazed look on his face. Slowly, he blinked away his confusion and settled more comfortably in his seat.
“Yes.”
“This is how I see it. We can integrate the two aspects. We both want more than your run-of-the-mill D/s relationship. But we’ll take it slowly. For starters, I say we set up a code word to mark the transition between them, from vanilla to submission.”
Matthew’s brows rose. “That makes sense.”
“So how about this? We match up our schedules, find a day or two when we’re both free and spend them together. How does that sound?”
There was no need for Hugh to hear Matthew’s answer. He could see it written all over his face. Surprise, excitement, some anxiety, but most of all hope. They all flashed over Matthew’s features in rapid succession, before settling on hope.
“I’d like that.”
“It’s decided then.”
****
“What about the club?” Matthew clutched the phone, holding his breath, waiting for Sir Hugh’s answer. Since their last date, they’d talked each night on the phone before going to bed, and Matthew found himself more and more excited each time. Thousand of butterflies danced madly in his stomach from the moment he slid that little green button on his touch screen until he heard Sir Hugh’s voice. Those were the longest three seconds of the day.
“What about it?”
He could hear Sir’s confusion coming over the line, but before Matthew could clarify, Sir continued.
“Are you asking if you should or could keep up your appointments, if we should work together there? Or are you saying that it bothers you I work there, now we’re starting a relationship?”
“Whoa.”
Sir chuckled. “I take it you haven’t considered all those possibilities.”
“No. Wow. Give me a second. Please,” he added hastily.
“Sure. Take your time.”
With Sir’s soft breathing in his ear, Matthew analyzed all the choices Sir had presented to him. When he’d asked the question, he’d only considered his own attendance at the club, but now it felt like that was such a small part of it all.
Yes, doing a scene at the club with Sir Spencer now would be awkward. It might get better along the way, if their relationship worked. But what if it didn’t? And if he wasn’t doing scenes with Sir at The Dungeon, would be excluded from the club entirely? Or worse yet, get Sir fired? He knew Mr. Brentwood had brought Sir Spencer in mainly for him.
“Will you get fired?” Matthew blurted before he could stop himself.
“What? No.”
Some of the anxiety drained away, but the confusion remained.
“How did you… Ah. I see. All right, let’s talk about it. You are concerned you might be uncomfortable doing a scene together at the club and what that might entail.”
“Yes.”
“First of all, you don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. The wrong kind of uncomfortable, at least.” Matthew heard Sir’s grin on the last words and couldn’t help a budding smile of his own in response.
“If you don’t want me to be your Dom at The Dungeon, that’s not a problem. And no, I’m not taking it personally. Also, if you don’t want to come at the club at all, or if you want to but with a different Dom, that’s also fine.”
Wow. He not only understood Matthew’s struggle but had summed it up perfectly.
“And no, nothing you decide about it will get me fired.”
“But you came here for me. Sort of.”
“There’s no sort of about it, but you are not the only sub who goes a bit deeper than most of the others. I’m telling you this so you understand this is not something for you to worry about.”
Matthew missed everything after the others. He hadn’t give it any thought until then, but now that Sir brought it up, the image of him involved in a scene with another sub made his teeth grind.
Taking a couple of calming breaths, Matthew forced himself to think things through. There was no sex at the club, so Sir wouldn’t be cheating on him. Wait, would they be exclusive? Would Sir want that? Why would he, with Matthew? What could he possibly offer a man like Sir Spencer?
“A lot.”
Matthew froze, then frowned at the phone in his hand. Had he said that out loud?
“Yes, you did.”
“Oh, fuck.”
“Language.”
The admonishment snapped over the line made Matthew jump to attention.
“I don’t want to hear you use that kind of language.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good.”
“And to answer your question, I don’t want anyone else. I like you. As for having scenes at The Dungeon, that is my job. If it works between us and my job keeps bothering you, then we’ll see what we can do about it.”
Matthew couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was Sir really taking his feelings into consideration? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d mattered to someone like this.
“And to address the original issue, it wouldn’t bother me if you decide you want someone else at the club, or if you want to stop going altogether. I want you to do whatever feels right for you.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Absolutely. Now…how do you about spending next Monday with me? You told me that was your day off, so I rearranged my schedule around it.”
For a moment, Matthew was speechless. Someone, Sir, had taken the time and trouble to take Matthew into consideration.
“Matthew?” Sir asked softly.
“Yes.” Voice cracking, Matthew fought to keep his tears under control. “I mean, I’d love to.”
“It’s settled, then. We’ll spend Monday together.”
Heavens, four more days to go! The wait might just kill him, because no way in hell he could bear it for that long.
Chapter 7
Bag in hand, Matthew drew a deep, encouraging breath and knocked on Sir’s door. His heart skipped a beat as steps sounded on the other side. The door opene
d and Matthew’s eyes nearly jumped from their sockets. Dressed in casual jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, Sir looked more imposing than ever. Even the black socks covering his feet looked stern.
“Welcome, Matthew. Did you find the address okay?”
Matthew had to force himself to focus. “Yes, Sir. I mean, I had no problems finding it. I have GPS.”
“Good. Come on in.” Sir stepped aside, welcoming Matthew.
Swallowing around his dry throat, Matthew entered the apartment. A soft scent of musk and wild spice filled his lungs as he passed Sir Spencer. Excitement, arousal, all laced with a little anxiety battled inside him. God, now the long awaited day was here, Matthew didn’t know how to react.
“Thank you.”
“Let me give you a tour of the place. It’s not much, as most of my belongs aren’t here yet, but it will do for now.” Sir motioned him to follow. “This is the main living area.”
Matthew barely spared it a glance, his focus on Sir. Even with a knife to his throat, he doubted he could name a single thing there.
“It looks great.” That was the traditional, go-to response and probably the safest.
Or not.
Sir turned to him, his crooked brow calling Matthew on the lie.
So Matthew shrugged, looking sheepish. “Well, it’s not bad.”
Sir have a half-nod, tongue in cheek. “It’s not good either.”
Matthew worried at his lower lip, making sure to keep his mouth shut as he glanced around as inconspicuously as possible, trying to actually see some of it this time. And, yeah, he had to admit, it was…bland. A couch, a coffee table that’d seen better days, a flat screen TV that had to be at least five years old set in the middle of a mostly empty library.
A blush rose to his cheeks when he found Sir regarding him carefully, a little smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
“I get it now.”
Sir shrugged. “It’s the only place I could get in such short notice. You get used to it. And aside from my toys and the clothes on my back, I don’t really need anything else.”
Matthew barely heard what came after toys. His mouth suddenly dry, he had to swallow a couple of times to get his throat to work properly again. But he decided it might be safer not to talk at all, so he settled on following Sir.
“This is the bedroom.” Sir stopped, allowing Matthew enough room to see through the open doorway.
A double bed, perfectly made, a night stand on either side, and a three-door closet. Everything was so neat; not a single thing was out of place.
“You can put your things in there.” Sir pointed at the closed door behind Matthew. “You can keep whatever you need and store the rest. Of course, you can get them anytime you want.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Under Sir’s watchful gaze, Matthew opened the door to find a little closet behind. And, once again, everything was stacked to perfect order.
“Yes, Matthew?”
“Do you have OCD?” His eyes went wide as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He wanted to slap himself, but under Sir’s frown, he didn’t dare. Fuck. Him and his big mouth. He had most likely ruined everything before it even began. He tried apologizing, but what he could possibly say to make it better? He’d just accused the man he wanted as Sir of having a mental disorder.
When laughter shook Sir’s shoulders, Matthew gaped at him. What was going on?
“What’s funny?”
“That would be ‘Excuse me, Sir, could you please tell me what you find hilarious in my question?’ You will use proper grammar from now on. And, no, I don’t have OCD. I just like things tidy. I’ve found it makes life easier, rather than having to set everything in order every other day.”
Matthew flinched at the veiled admonishment, then blinked as he tried to process the rest of Sir’s answer. “It makes sense, I guess.”
“But not something you’re doing.”
Matthew offered him a sheepish smile, hoping it’d be enough of an answer.
“Matthew?”
He sighed to himself. “No.”
“You will, but this will be addressed at a later date. Now, let me finish the tour. Then you can make yourself comfortable and join me for coffee.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Sir grinned, then walked by him, only to stop a couple of steps later. “This is the bathroom. And that’s the entire apartment.”
“I like it.” This time he meant it. Not the bathroom, or even the place itself, but because it was Sir’s, and after the awkward beginning, it seemed to be more welcoming. Probably sensing his change of heart, Sir didn’t press the issue any further.
“Get your stuff, store the rest, and let’s get our coffee.”
Matthew opened the closet door and placed his bag inside. “I’m set.”
“You don’t need anything at all?”
Matthew frowned. “No.”
Sir’s eyes narrowed, his lips pursed. Matthew’s frown deepened. What on earth was going on?
“All right. Let’s have that coffee.”
Sir led the way to the kitchen. Now this room was a lot different from the rest of the apartment. This one, though just as neat, had the lived-in look that was missing from the rest.
“Wow. Now, that’s a thing of beauty.” Matthew stopped in front of the hi-tech coffee maker. “But I thought you said you didn’t get your things yet.”
“No, but that’s what I call a necessity. This was the first thing I bought. After cleaning supplies, that is.”
Matthew nodded his understanding. Hell, yes, he could see Sir’s reasoning and was happy to meet a likeminded guy. He went over to examine it closer.
“Fuck, I love this.” It was a newer model than the one they had at the restaurant.
“Language!” The command snapped like a chord through the air.
Matthew froze, his eyes going wide.
“You will not use that kind of language. It doesn’t become you.”
Matthew swallowed, before nodding. “Yes, Sir.”
Sir paused, staring Matthew in the eye, before tilting his head in acknowledgement. “What kind of coffee would you like?”
Matthew glanced from Sir to the machine and back.
“A mocha latte with extra foam, if you have it. Unsweetened.”
“Sure.”
Sir retrieved a capsule from the drawer and popped it into the designated slot. After checking the milk level in the container, Sir pressed the button. With the gurgling sound, the most tantalizing aroma rose from the machine. Closing his eyes, Matthew inhaled deeply. To him, that was heaven.
“I love this smell.”
The percolating stopped, followed by the sound of milk being turned into foam. Matthew took whiff, letting the smell fill his system.
Opening his eyes, Matthew found Sir regarding him closely over the rim of his already-made coffee, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“I can see that.”
Once the brew was done, Sir took the tall mug and brought it to the table.
“Come. Join me.” It was a command as much as an invitation, despite the light tone he used.
“Thank you.”
Matthew wrapped his palms around the mug, mentally preparing himself for the conversation he knew was coming. Yet, Sir’s first topic took him by surprise.
“Where is your phone?”
“In your closet, in my bag.” Matthew frowned.
“Why didn’t you bring it with you?”
“My phone? What for? It’s rude to use it while I’m with you.”
“Rude?”
Matthew flinched at Sir’s scowl. Why did he seem mad about it? “Yes.”
“So no safety call, then? I keep waiting to hear your phone ring and nothing happens.”
“Oh.” Understanding finally dawned. “Uhm, no.”
Sir’s shoulders shook with a long sigh, his eyes never leaving Matthew’s. “Why not?”
Matthew shrugged. “Frankly, I didn’t thi
nk about it.”
“How come? You are visiting a stranger’s home, a Master at that, with whom you plan to engage in a D/s relationship. How could you not take precautions? I could have been—still could be—a serial killer.”
“Just having this discussion with you is proof you’re not.”
Sir pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and squeezed, looking pained. “No, not really, but you do have a point. I’m not a serial killer and don’t wish you any harm. So, if you’re ever in the position where you are going to someone’s house, as you’ve come to mine, please, please, have a safety call set up.”
Matthew pursed his lips, considering Sir’s words.
“What’s to stop someone who wanted to hurt me doing so after the safety call?”
“You’re right; they still might. But they would think twice before doing it, knowing someone knows where you are and whom you are with. And you can always set a second phone call, at a certain interval, just to double check you are still all right.”
“That might work.”
Sir reached out, placing his palm on top of Matthew’s, giving it a little squeeze. “Whatever happens between us, I want you safe.”
Honesty and care came through loud and clear. Matthew’s stomach tightened. When was the last time someone had put so much thought and effort into him and his wellbeing? And most importantly, Sir Spencer sounded sincere.
“Promise me this.” Sir enhanced his words with another squeeze of his hand. “You’ll never go anywhere without taking every precaution possible.”
“I promise.”
“Good. How’s the coffee?”
Remembering the mug in his hands, Matthew took a sip. The taste was as divine as he’d expected and it instantly cast away the gloom. “Just what I needed.”
****
Hugh’s stomach fluttered, twisting up in knots at the wide smile Matthew offered him. There was so much honesty and openness in Matthew’s face that it caught Hugh off-guard. There were so many feelings flashing there, each more intense than the last, that it made Hugh want to take him in his arms and hold him there until he’d chased away all Matthew’s worries.
But to do so would just freak him out, so Hugh fought to keep himself under control and focus on Matthew. After all, that was what he wanted.
A Master for Matthew (The Dungeon Book 6) Page 5