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“What?” Adam followed easily, fingers twined with his.

“You need to take better care of yourself. Or should I say, you need me to take care of you.” He encouraged Adam down onto the bed. “Lie down on your stomach.”

Adam stretched out for him, showing him that poor, bruised back. Matt noticed that Adam didn’t argue about needing his care.

He opened up the container of salve and ran his fingers through it. “I’m putting the salve on now.” It was likely going to hurt some as he worked it into the welts and cuts.

Adam nodded, groaning softly.

“Breathe through it.” He started at the shoulders and worked his way down, going back for more salve over and over again.

“Master.” Adam panted for him, the sound honest, real.

“Your poor back.”

“He wanted to show his sub.”

Matt snorted. “I’ll bet you any amount you like that he won’t cane his sub as hard as he caned you.”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“You can.” Please.

“I don’t like the canings. I don’t mind most of my job, but I don’t like that. It’s... cold.”

“Especially without the aftercare.” He kept carefully working the salve into the awful welts.

“Yes. Yes. I know I’m supposed to be patient, but... I don’t like it.”

“Then don’t do it.” Surely Adam could afford to be a little picky.

“It’s harder than you think, to turn down men who have been good to you.”

He almost smiled. Adam was a sub. This didn’t surprise him at all. He rested his hand on Adam’s ass and leaned in to murmur into the man’s ear. “Then I forbid it. No more canings.”

Adam’s body shuddered; a hungry little cry hit the air.

Yes.

“That’s right.” He nodded, feeling good, settled inside himself about that.

Adam’s eyes met his, wide, bright. “Yes, Master. Okay. Yes.”

“Yes.” He smiled, pressed his lips to Adam’s.

Adam shivered, then settled back down for him, cheek on one arm.

Matt stripped and then lay down with Adam. “There’s food, when your back goes numb. And green tea lattes.”

“Oh.” He could hear Adam’s stomach snarl.

“Your body is making itself known.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just been a while.”

“Don’t apologize for your needs, Adam.” He kissed his lover softly. “You stay here and I’ll get the food and drinks.”

“You shouldn’t have to care for me, Matt.”

“I’m your Master. It’s part of the territory.”

“My Master. You’re... it’s good for you?”

“You’re good for me, Adam.” He put a kiss on his Adam’s forehead and headed over to the kitchenette.

It didn’t take him long to retrieve the fancy sandwiches and tea and return to the bed. The sunlight shone through a skylight, bathing Adam with a golden glow.

Adam was on the phone, back to him. “Sorry. I really feel the need for a few days off. Tonight is not good for a scene.”

He growled. “You said a week.”

Adam looked over at him, eyes worried.

“You need the week, Adam. Tell them no, or I will.”

“I. What? I. Master? No. No, Sir. Not you. I.”

Matt held out his hand for the phone. Adam blinked at him again, and he snapped, “Now.”

The phone was put in his hand.

“I’m sorry, but Adam is not available for the next seven days. If you’d like to call back and leave a message, he’d be happy to get back to you in a week. Good bye.” He hung up the phone without waiting for an answer from the master on the other end of the line.

Adam’s lips were open, eyes wide, and Matt deliberately turned the phone off. “You need that week, Adam. And if you don’t take care of yourself, then I’ll have to do it for you.” He could see Adam’s body respond to his words, long cock beginning to fill. “That’s right. I’m in charge now. We’ll discuss a workable schedule, but not today. You’re on vacation.”

Adam swallowed hard. “I don’t know how to. You. We weren’t a pairing even yesterday, Master.”

“I know. That was stupid of me, not to make my claim earlier. But I’m making it now. You’re mine, Adam, we both know it.”

Adam nodded for him.

“Sit. Eat and drink. We have a week to explore what we have.” He sat next to Adam, offered one of the brie sandwiches.

Adam’s fingers were shaking as he took the sandwich, and he ate a tentative bite. Matt put a hand on Adam’s leg, squeezed.

“It’s good.” Adam ate another bite.

“I have a feeling you’d be happy with cardboard right now.” His poor Adam was practically starving.

Adam shrugged. “You have to be empty, I think, to do my job.”

“While you’re doing the job. Not while you’re at home. Not while you’re mine.”

“No. Not while I’m yours.”

“That’s right.” He reached across and stroked Adam’s cheek. Adam’s eyes closed, the sandwich landing back on the plate. “Have another bite.” Food first, making love second.

“Maybe. You’re better than the food.”

He beamed at Adam. “Still, a couple more bites, okay?”

“A couple.” Adam didn’t move.

“Yes.” He took the hand holding the sandwich and moved it up toward Adam’s mouth.

Adam took another bite, eating slowly. Matt watched every movement, eyes on his lover.

“Am I keeping you from work?”

“No.” He had a few calls to make, but it wouldn’t be a problem.

“No?” He got a quick, playful wink. “Me either.”

That made him chuckle, and he leaned in to steal a quick kiss. Adam kissed him back, opened to him.

He pulled back, smiling. “One more bite.” Then Adam could have more later.

“One more.” Adam took a bite, groaned over the sandwich.

“It’s good, isn’t it? You’ll have the rest in a bit.” He was going to make sure Adam ate more than enough over the next week.

“It is good. You should have some.”

“I’ll have my sandwich if you’ll keep eating while I do.”

“I’m filling up, but I’ll have a few more bites.”

“Good.” He ate his own sandwich, taking his time so Adam had more to eat as well. The green tea latte didn’t taste anything like tea or coffee, but was good.

Adam ate about half his sandwich, drank his entire latte with a sigh.

“Feeling better for that?”

“Yes. Yesterday was hard.”

“I imagine the whole week was hard. You need to spread out the days you work.” He put his fingers across Adam’s mouth. “No, we won’t talk about this now. We have all week, and our first few days are for healing, loving.”

Adam moaned, nodded for him, eyes on his. He leaned in and brought their mouths together, his lips soft against Adam’s. His. His lovely man. He smiled, addicted to the look of Adam’s skin in the sunlight. He shifted them, careful to make sure Adam didn’t go down onto his back as they stretched out on the bed. He pressed against Adam’s body, his cock sliding on the silky smooth belly.

“Mmm. You’re warm.” Adam’s hand slid up and down his spine.

He smiled and pressed kisses over Adam’s face: forehead, cheeks, chin, all of him. Adam’s cock began to fill again, slowly, responding to him. He found the pretty nipples and stroked them, urging them to hardness as well. He wanted rings in them, delicate ones that he could decorate.

“You’re a beautiful canvas, Adam. So lovely.” He got a soft chuckle in response, gentle and sweet. “I’m going to paint you as I want, too. Your skin, your body. Make it all mine.”

Those eyes went wide again, searching his.

“I’m serious, Adam. You’re mine. Everyone should know you have someone who cares.”

Adam groaned. “I don’t know... The Doms don’t want me to be anything; they want me to be everything. Nothing.”

“Too bad for them. You’re mine. If I can put up with you doing scenes with them, they can put up with the fact that you have a Master.” There was only so much he was willing to concede.

He loved how Adam’s face changed every time he said something like that. It spoke to something deep inside him.

“We can go get that guiche this week. Once your back has healed a little bit.”

“Master?” Adam took his hand. “You’ll talk to Oliver?”

“About what, lovely?”

“You. Me. The work?”

“Of course. But you can still work.”

“No. No, I mean.” Adam stopped, took a breath. “I’ll speak to him, but he may wish to speak to you as well.”

“I have no problem talking to him about you, about the work. I have no intention of keeping us hidden.”

“I have to look at my contract with the club. I imagine it will all be fine.”

“It will be fine. And you don’t need to worry about any of this. We don’t worry about anything but us for awhile. You have the time.”

“Right. Right. Of course.” Adam took another of those deep, slow breaths.

“Mmm. I have you off-balance.” He liked being able to do that.

“I’m sorry.” Adam sighed, leaned into him. “I’m just a bit tired.”

“You’re a lot tired. I’m going to make love to you, and then you’re going to sleep some more.”

“I am?”

“You are. We are.”

He pressed their lips together -- no more talking. He focused on the kiss, on stealing Adam’s breath, on making himself Adam’s focus. He explored with his fingers, learning and re-learning Adam’s body. He was super careful with Adam’s back, the stripes which were going to be heavy bruises.

“You do mark beautifully.”

Adam nodded. “I bruise easily.”

“It’s delicious.” He nibbled at Adam’s lower lip and then made his way to the long throat, contemplating where to put his mark.

He focused on breathing with Adam, in and out, slowly, steadily. He wrapped his lips around the spot on Adam’s neck and began to suck, tongue licking, teeth biting, lips pulling. Adam jerked against him, hands wrapping around his arms. He didn’t stop; Adam was his to mark as he wanted. His to touch, to love. To care for. To explore. His. His. His.

HIS.

Growling, he pulled harder, feeling the skin heat up beneath his lips.

“Master!” Adam shifted, nails digging into his skin. “Please!”

“Please what?”

“I don’t
know
.”

“I do, though. I’m marking you.”

Adam arched, chin lifting as more throat was offered to him. Moaning, he latched back onto Adam’s skin, sucking hard. The skin was bruising, hot to his tongue, his lips. He sucked a little harder, determined that it would still be there when Adam went back to work.

Those hungry sounds started filling the air, sharp, needy. He slid his hand down to Adam’s cock, wrapping his hands around it. Full, hot, hard, the wet tip kissed the inside of his wrist. He stroked a few times, the heat of it making him moan and suck harder.

“Master. Master, I dream about you now.”

He stopped only long enough to murmur, “Tell me more.”

“I dream about your body, your heat. Your voice. Needing you.”

“Good.” He wanted Adam to need him, to want him.

Adam groaned for him. “I’m very taken with you.” So proper.

“Good. Don’t stop.”

“Don’t stop?”

“Don’t stop being taken with me. Don’t stop dreaming about me.”

“I don’t think I can.”

“Good.” This time he said the word fiercely.

“I never... why are you so different from everyone else?”

“Because I’m me.” It was the best answer he had.

“Yes, Master.”

“I do like the way that sounds from your mouth.”

“You do? It feels so right.”

“That’s because it is. We are.” He pressed their lips together, hand working Adam’s cock with hard strokes.

“Master. Master. Master...”

“Yes. Adam. Let me smell you.”

Adam’s head tossed, marked throat working. “My Master...” Heat spread over his fingers.

“God, yes. Yours.” The scent of Adam was intoxicating.

“Mine.” A single tear slipped from Adam’s eye, a dazed smile on the man’s face.

“And you’re all mine.” He leaned in and kissed the tear away.

The skin under Adam’s eyes looked bruised, the man almost dozing already.

“Sleep, lovely. I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

“You promise?”

“I promise. I’m not going anywhere for the next week.” He was making his claim right here, right now.

“I trust you.”

Then boom, his Adam was asleep.

He pressed a kiss to Adam’s forehead and sat up, looking for his cell phone. He had a few calls to make to clear his schedule so he could keep his promise.

Chapter Five

Adam slept and dreamed, then slept a little more before hunger drove him out of his bed. He stumbled toward the kitchenette and grabbed the kettle. Tea first, then food.

Matt appeared, moving to lean against the counter. “I thought I heard you get up.”

“Tea. Food.” His head ached a little.

“You make the tea; I’ll see what I can rustle up in the food category.” Matt didn’t move to the cupboards or fridge, though. Instead, he came over, hand sliding along Adam’s cheek. “Hey.”

Oh. Warm. Adam’s eyes closed and he leaned in. “Hey.”

“Mmm.” Matt’s lips brushed across his. Then they came back, pressing harder this time.

The kiss was warm and easy and he opened to it, like a morning glory to the sun. Matt’s tongue swept through his mouth, sweet like cherries as well as hot. He forgot all about the tea, stepping closer, snuggling in. Matt’s arms were warm and sure around him, the sweet tongue opening his mouth as the kiss deepened.

The touches to his sore back were careful, comforting, letting him relax. The kisses were long and leisurely, as if they had all the time in the world to do this. Adam could handle that. A vacation from life.

Eventually the kiss ended and Matt cupped his face, smiled at him. “So. Tea and something to eat? I’ll join you. Do you like sports?”

Matt went to the fridge, looking in it with a frown.

“It depends on the sport, I suppose. What’s wrong?”

“Is there anything edible in here?”

“There are greens and juice for fasting...” He leaned in and looked. He fasted when he worked, and when he wasn’t working, he fasted every third day.

“Okay, there
are
greens and juice, but you need to eat, not fast, at the moment.” Matt looked at his watch. “I guess we could head over to the all-night grocery store, though I’d rather wait and do the market with you in the morning. We can get fresh and local that way. That still leaves tonight... I know you don’t have much in the cupboards -- I was looking for chips and dip earlier, to go with the game I’m watching.” Matt turned and smiled at him. “You don’t mind that I’ve made myself at home, do you?”

“No, Master.” He kissed the man’s nose. “I don’t keep junk food.”

“That’s not all you don’t keep.” Matt chuckled and rubbed their noses together. “All right, revised plan. We’ll have some tea and then find a late-night diner to get some real food into you.”

“I had the sandwich earlier. You don’t have to put yourself out.”

“You had half a sandwich this morning. It’s almost ten o’clock. And I’m hungry, so you have to be starving.”

“A little. I have food issues.” He poured the water into the kettle.

“Food issues? You should tell me about them. I need to know.”

“Oh, it’s just a thing.” He wasn’t comfortable sharing that, not yet.

One of Matt’s eyebrows went up.

“Would you like tea?”

“I would. And then I’m taking you out for supper. There’s a little café that serves meals all night on Elm Street.”

He nodded and started the kettle, pulling two mugs from the cupboards. He could feel Matt’s eyes on him as he moved about. He forced himself not to hurry, not to show any nerves.

“You have amazing grace, lovely.”

“Thank you. I practice.”

“I’ve heard. Yoga for two hours most mornings.”

“Yes. Every morning. I haven’t missed in months.”

“You missed this morning,” Matt pointed out. “Not that that’s a bad thing. You were utterly exhausted.”

“I was. I worked a lot this week.”

“Yeah.” Matt drew him in again once the kettle was heating, the mugs full of teabags. A kiss landed on his lips. Then another, and another.

He melted, leaned into Matt. Once again, the kisses went on and on, like they didn’t have anything else in the world to do. Adam found himself moaning, slowly rocking against Matt, focused on nothing but their kisses. Matt’s hands landed on his ass, encouraging his movements.
Master.
The word echoed in his head, in his heart.

It was the whistle of the kettle that brought the kisses to an end, its shriek startling them both.

“Sorry. Sorry, I forgot about it.” He’d gotten lost.

“So had I.” Matt pulled him back, letting the kettle scream as he took another kiss. Matt’s kisses left him stupid. The kiss ended slowly, and then Matt rubbed their noses together. “Okay, now you can get it.”

“Get what?”

“The kettle, lovely.”

His cheeks went red hot. Burning.

“Shh. Don’t be embarrassed. I’m flattered.”

“You make me dizzy.” He grabbed the kettle, poured.

“Yeah? Good. I like having a strong effect on you.”

“No one ever has.”

“That’s because I’m your Master.”

“Yeah.” He met Matt’s eyes. “You know, I waited for you a long time.”

“I’m glad you did.” Matt reached out and cupped his cheek, hand dropping a moment later so he could deal with the tea.

“I am, too.” He made his Master tea, fingers shaking with the sudden need to make it right.

Matt’s hands slid over his, wrapping around his fingers. “What’s wrong, lovely?”

“I just want to make things good. Right. Perfect.” He spent a lot of time on perfection.

“You’re making tea for yourself and your Master -- that’s perfect right there.”

“There is also room for improvement.”

“Sometimes you have to be happy with how things are.”

He nodded, not really believing it.

Matt growled softly and tugged him around. “Look at me, Adam. Nothing is perfect. We can only do our best.”

“I try to, always.”

“Trying is fine, as long as you don’t turn yourself inside out doing it.”

“I. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

“I don’t mean to. But I’m not going to change my mind about this.”

Adam nodded. “Do you want honey?”

“No, just a little bit of milk, please.”

“Okay.” He nodded, made Matt’s tea.

Matt stayed close, one hand sliding onto his back, rubbing small, almost not-there circles. The touch made his eyes cross, just a bit.

When he’d made his tea as well, Matt took his hand and kissed his fingers. “Come watch the rest of the game with me.”

“I can do that.” His fingers danced over Matt’s face.

Matt turned to kiss his palms. Then his hand was taken, Matt leading him toward his little living room area.

“Do you like the house?” It was simple, but he found it comfortable.

“I do. It suits you.”

Matt drew him onto the couch, a basketball game playing on the TV, the sound turned down. He curled in, resting against Matt’s shoulder. Matt’s arm wrapped around him. “This is nice, huh?”

“It is.” He sipped his tea, the warmth good from outside and inside.

“Do you have a favorite team?”

“Not really. I love to watch the extreme sports, mostly.”

“Like cage match extreme or snowboarding extreme?”

“Snowboarding. Shaun White is hot.”

Matt laughed softly. “He is. It’s the hair.”

He nodded. “Yes. And the grin. He’s a magical creature.”

“Kind of like you.”

That made him smile. “If I was talented.”

Matt looked at him, surprise in his eyes. “You’re talented.”

Adam laughed. “At bruising and following directions?”

“You’re the consummate sub, lovely. It’s a gift.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“Mmm.” Matt took another soft, lazy kiss. “You’re welcome.”

If only his gift wasn’t the one thing that he did that hurt his Master.

Matt’s team scored and Matt cheered, laughing and kissing him. He laughed, cheering alongside.

“Man, this is so much more fun with someone.”

Oh, that made him feel like a million dollars. “It is.”

They cheered again as the ball sank in the basket. It wasn’t about sex and it wasn’t about subbing, it was just about watching the game together. Matt’s arm felt good around his shoulders, like it belonged there.

His hand came to rest on Matt’s belly, his head on the man’s shoulder. Matt hummed, hand sliding along his arm, rubbing circles on his back. He wasn’t even sure Matt knew he was doing it. It didn’t matter. He was happy. He thought Matt was happy. It worked.

Matt chuckled when the game was over. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wait so long to take you out for supper. It was a good game, though.”

“It was. I’m happy.” They didn’t have to move.

Matt’s stomach growled and the man laughed again. “Okay, like I said, if I’m hungry, then you must be starving.”

“I’m okay. I am.” He could snuggle forever.

“Still, we should go eat. And then tomorrow we can hit the market so we have food at home we can make.”

“Okay. I could murder a pancake.”

Matt laughed. “All right, pancakes for the bloodthirsty it is.”

“Bloodthirsty?” That made him laugh, hard.

“You did say you could murder a pancake.” Matt gave him a wink.

“Punny. Very punny.”

Matt laughed, stood. “Come on, lovely. I have my man to feed.”

God, that was an amazing set of words. Just amazing.

Matt’s hand wrapped around his, tugging him up. Their lips met for a moment, a little ‘hi, how are you,’ and then they were on their way to the front door. On a date. Him and his Master.

They headed to the car, Matt humming, holding his hand the entire way.

“You sound happy.”

“That’s because I am.” Matt stopped at the side of the car and turned to face him, looking into his eyes. “Very.”

“Very. Good.”

“Yeah, it is.” Matt opened the passenger door for him, going around to the other side.

He eased himself in, back still aching, sore.

“It’s not far,” murmured Matt as he pulled out onto the road.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“I do worry, though.” Matt glanced at him, smiled. “That’s my job.”

“No. No, it’s my job. I’m here to worry for you, make sure your needs are met.”

“That works both ways, though, Adam. I know you don’t have experience with a master of your own, but trust me, it’s supposed to work both ways.”

He chuckled, a little unnerved. He had experience with dozens of masters, but never someone who was there for
him
.

Matt turned down the street with the all-night diner, and pulled into the parking lot. “Best pancakes you can find, this time of day. You discover a lot when you’ve just moved in and don’t have anything unpacked.”

“Midnight pancakes are the best. I used to come out here when I was a teenager in high school.”

“Really? That’s so neat.”

“Yeah. When I was a kid, I was a serious night owl.”

“Were you out back then?”

“Of the closet? Yeah. Yeah, my folks weren’t worried about that.” His folks had worried about his anorexia then. They still worried a little bit.

“No? That implies that they were worried about something, though.” Matt came around and opened the door for him.

“I. Thank you.” He didn’t talk about it. He’d had to talk about it a lot after his year in, during his recovery, and he watched his clothes to make sure he never lost more than ten pounds, ever.

The waitress led them to a booth and they sat across from each other, Matt ordering them both the short stack.

When she’d gone, Matt looked right at him, reached and took his hand. “What were they worried about?”

“Oh, just stuff. My parents were very liberal.” He held Matt’s fingers, looked away.

“Very liberal? So they were worried you were going to be conservative?”

“I. Me? No. No. God, no. I was the wild pink and green-haired punk child.”

“Oh, I hope you have pictures!”

“Mom does, yeah.” He grinned. “You’ll have to meet her someday when she and Pop come back into town.”

“They don’t live here anymore?”

“They travel. A lot. They bought a travel trailer and go and go. All the time.” It was adorable.

“Sounds like, uh, fun?” Matt grinned, squeezed his hand.

“They love it. They’re in Florida right now, at the beach.”

“That sounds nice. Do you spend a lot of time at the beach here? I haven’t really had a chance to check it out yet.”

“I run there, yeah.”

“How often do you run?”

“Every morning after yoga. Well, not this morning, obviously.”

“So there’s yoga and there’s running and there’s fasting. You don’t do things by halves, do you?”

“I. No. No, I... I don’t.” This felt a lot like lying.

Matt tilted his head. “What’s the matter, lovely?”

“Nothing. Nothing, I just... I have sort of like an old secret and I’m not interested in sharing it, but not saying feels weird.”

“If not sharing it feels weird... maybe it’s your subconscious saying you should.”

“Maybe. I don’t want you to treat me differently, though.”

Matt tilted his head. “I care for you a lot. I want to take care of you. I know you work too hard and until now didn’t have anyone to look after you post-scenes. I know you don’t eat enough. And I know that I’m going to do my best to make all that better. I don’t know if what you’re going to tell me will change any of that. I can’t see it changing things.”

“I spent a year in a rehabilitation hospital.”

Matt’s hand squeezed his tighter. “Rehabilitation for what?”

“Anorexia nervosa. When I was eighteen. I was very ill.”

“Ah, you said you had food issues. Does it stem from that?”

“Yes. Yeah. I don’t. I’m very careful not to lose more than ten pounds from my target.”

“That would be far easier if you ate more than you do.” Matt raised his free hand. “We’re not discussing this until later, though, remember?”

He nodded. “I’d prefer not to discuss it at all, honestly.”

“I can’t promise you that.”

Adam sighed, but smiled. “Later.” It wasn’t a situation he needed disturbed.

“Much later.”

Their waitress came back with their pancakes. He took a deep breath, nodded, and grabbed the strawberry jam.

Matt took his hand again, squeezed it, and then let it go. “These look good.”

“They do. I like the strawberries on them.”

Matt grabbed one of the strawberries and offered it to him.

“Thank you.” The tart sharpness tasted good.

Matt seemed more interested in watching him and feeding him and than in eating himself.