Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Joshua laughed softly. “He’s already mentioned it, but I gave him a stern talkin’-to.”
“Good.” I shook my head and gathered more steak and potatoes on my fork. “Nothing new on that front, I take it?”
It was Joshua’s turn to shake his head, and he went back to his salmon dish. “Just that he’s returning to his old routines—swiftly too. His social media presence has exploded since yesterday, and a few hours ago, he made a post complaining about working this weekend. It’s a fuckin’ ruse, if you ask me. He’s up to something.”
Yeah, Caleb’s behavior was one big red flag altogether.
“Do you think he knows you’re watching?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yup.”
In other words, Caleb might attack from another angle next time.
Thank goodness Gael was no longer my student. He had another class, and Joshua and I could cooperate to keep an eye on the boy before and after. If he didn’t quit that one as well. He’d told me he was disappointed that the professor seemed disinterested, something I knew for a fact. Professor Hallberg was a dud. A master at sending reading material and using TAs to do his dirty work. If he could avoid going to class, he did. He preferred online classes, even more so if he didn’t have to be present at all.
I lifted my gaze as I spotted someone in the doorway, and I kept my smile at bay. Game on, dear boy. Gael shuffled back to his seat, his cheeks still a bit flushed, and I ate as if I had no remote-controlled agenda.
“You’re right on time, sweetheart.” Joshua helped the boy tuck in his napkin again. “Dean was just telling me he wanted to talk to you about D/s titles.”
“Oh?” Gael looked at me. It was clear he was struggling to split his focus.
Who could blame him? I was struggling too. Part of me wanted to wrap up our dinner and take this back to my place, where I could strip him naked. Actually, make it Joshua’s house.
That was another first for me, I supposed. I usually enjoyed going to restaurants and everything that came with wining and dining, but I had to admit, staying in appealed to me more now. Where Joshua could walk around barefoot and shirtless, and Gael could run free in his pajamas. His boyish personality made me react more than I’d anticipated.
“If you’re ready, of course,” I said. “Until then—”
“I’m ready, Sir,” Gael blurted out. “I’m very ready.”
I grinned, more pleased than I could express. “Then drop my name and just call me Master.” I kept my voice low so that the other guests didn’t hear.
“Yes, Master.” His shyness made another return, and it was sweeter than sugar to behold. “I, um—” He stopped and turned to Joshua. “May I sit next to Master for a moment?”
“Of course, baby. Let’s make that a rule,” he replied. “Unless you’re on some sort of restriction or we give you a task, you come and go between us whenever you like.”
That was a good rule.
We helped him shift his place setting over to my side of the table, and Gael made his way around to sit next to me. He grinned up at me and hugged my arm.
“I just wanted to say I’m happy.”
Fuck, he was going straight for my heart, this one.
“If you’re half as happy as I am, you’re about to explode.” I kissed the side of his head, unable to explain the rush of emotions going on inside me. For every second that passed, I became more convinced that a dinner date in a restaurant had been a bad idea. We should be sitting on Joshua’s comfortable couch and watching Band of Brothers and eating pizza.
Those old fears of mine were wreaking havoc too. I guessed, if anything, they were a testament to how much I cared—so early on, to boot.
“I propose we order dessert to-go later,” I said. “We shouldn’t leave General alone at Joshua’s place for too long.”
They both saw through me, and I was fine with that. Let them know I was keen on returning to our bubble.
As I took another bite of food, I brushed my fingers over the buttons on the remote, and I pressed the middle one for level two. Gael immediately stiffened in his seat, and he stopped speaking mid-sentence, something about giving General a baby brother.
“I’ve always liked cats,” I mentioned. “They’re peaceful creatures.”
Joshua snorted softly. “In your experience, maybe. My parents had two cats throughout most of my childhood, and I still have scars. Cats made me a dog person.”
“But you like General,” Gael protested, all while squirming.
“Because he’s gotta be on Xanax or something,” Joshua teased. “Are you all right, boy?”
“Yes, Sir.” The boy’s blush said otherwise. “He’s not on Xanax. He’s just old.”
“Then maybe a baby brother would be perfect,” I said. “He can rub off his calm behavior on the little one.”