Page 36 of A is for Aftercare

“I’ve got you, Archie,” he whispers. “I’m here.”

His embrace and words act like a parachute, slowing my fall so I can enjoy the descent. I smile and then laugh, giddy at how amazing the view is as I drift towards the ground. When I finally land, I’m insanely happy. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve sobbed my heart out after a scene, but crying is the last thing I want to do. I open my eyes and tilt my face so I can stare into his eyes. He dips his lips to mine and kisses me. He captures my blissed-out moan and presses his mouth harder against mine. His beard tickles my skin, scraping ever so slightly. I move my lips in time to his, surrendering all control to him. Fireworks burst in my chest, hot sparks raining down as his tongue slides into my mouth. Goddamn, this man can kiss. I turn to mush as he strokes his tongue along mine. Then he sucks my lower lip into his mouth and nips it playfully. I groan again and press my body against his, wanting and needing so much more than this. He kisses my nose and my forehead and then hugs me against his chest.

“Are you all right?” he asks.

I feel his voice as much as I hear it. “Yes.”

“Was there anything you didn’t enjoy?”

I shake my head.

“That’s good. We can cuddle for as long as you need,” he says.

Fuck. Is he incapable of saying anything that isn’t perfectly right? He’s clearly experienced at this, and he knows how to look after a sub.

“I could stay here all night.” I trap my lip between my teeth and spiral my finger through his chest hair. “But I promised you a blow job.”

He arches an eyebrow. “You told me youliketo suck cock. You didn’t promise to suck mine.” He circles my wrist with his huge hand, easily touching his fingers together. “We’re in the wrong room for that,” he whispers. “And neither of us have declared we want to go that far.”

“We can remedy that, can’t we?”

“If you want to.”

“I do.” I cup my hand around his face. “Tell me to get on my knees, Hamish. Fuck my mouth with your cock.”

He chuckles, the sound reverberating through my body as though I’m pressed right up to a speaker on full blast. It sends ripples of desire pulsing through my body, and my cock twitches.

“Rest a while longer,” he urges.

“Don’t you want me to? Suck your cock, I mean. Not rest.”

“I want you to restandsuck my cock. Just not at the same time.” He strokes my hair. “Right now, I’m enjoying cuddling you. There’s time for everything else. Later.”

Everything else, I like the sound of that. I smile and let out a happy sigh. "This is amazing."

I almost ask if he's glad we stepped over the line from employer and employee to Dom and sub, but I hold the words inside. I don't want to break the spell we're both under by unlocking the box we've both trapped reality inside. We'll have to figure this whole thing out on Monday, when I walk in the door to start work. There's no sense in ruining this beautiful, tender moment or cutting short what could be a wonderful night. I can keep pretending that we're two strangers hooking up at a party for a few more hours at least. I hope he can too.

10

Hamish

We cuddle for some time, Archie drifting in and out of sleep. There’s still a part of me screaming that this is wrong, but if that’s true, why does it feel so right to have him in my arms? Right or wrong, it’s done. We’ve crossed a line, and we can’t step back over it, which means there’s no point stopping unless he wants to.

“Archie?”

“Hey,” he says.

“Are you ready for me?”

He smirks. “Ready to get on my knees and suck your cock, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, Sir.”

It makes me shiver every time he calls me that. I've been Sir before as well as Master and Boss, but none of those labels has ever made my heart quiver. Until now. I don't want to think about why that is. I pull the blanket off us and haul Archie to his feet by his harness. As we go to retrieve green loops to add to our wristbands, I notice Cal and Gabe cuddling on one of the sofas with one of Archie's brothers. The model, Blake. I suppose I should thank them at some point, but I'm still pissed off that my friends connived to get Archie here. Archie must have noticed because his pace slows a little.

“He looks happy,” I say.