Page 95 of A is for Aftercare

I stroke my thumbs over his back, gradually pulling his shirt free of his trousers. I like that he still dresses smartly every day, just as I told him to. He always wears pressed trousers, a collared shirt, and a tie. His shoes are always polished; his socks always match. I inhale. And he always wears the same tangy cologne. I don’t know what brand or scent it is, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s called Archieosaurus.

“Are you staying tonight?” I ask.

“If you want me to.”

It's been exactly six weeks since the agency sent Archie to me. Six weeks that have changed my life completely. He's been spending more time here than at home recently, which is evidenced by the number of clothes that he has here now. There's certainly more than the one shirt he initially brought over so that he had something to get changed into after getting hot and sweaty with me. I like him being here. When he does go home, the house seems empty.

“I’ve been thinking,” I say.

“About?” Archie asks, raising his eyebrows.

“You and me.”

“Good thoughts I hope,” he says nervously.

I laugh and kiss him. “Of course. What other thoughts would I be having?”

“Just checking. Are you going to share them with me?”

“How would you react if I asked you to move in with me?”

His eyes widen, and his lips part. “Areyou?”

“Yes.”

“I…”

My pulse quickens, and my chest tightens. I can’t guess what he might be thinking.

His arms drop onto his thighs, and then he stands, turning his back on me. He runs his hands through his hair and then eventually faces me again.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Sir?”

I frown. "Why wouldn't it be? You're here almost all the time anyway. I love you. I could move in with you if you prefer, but it might be a bit of a squash."

Archie laughs. “There would be a huge queue for the bathroom every day. We’ve only got one,” he adds. “But there’s a separate toilet.” He blushes and looks at the floor.

“Tell me what you’re thinking, Archie.”

He sighs. “What if we break up?” he asks in a small voice. “I work for you, and we’re seeing each other…if I lived here too…and then we broke up…I’d have nothing. No partner. No job. No home.” He looks up and stares at me. “That’s a huge risk to take, Sir.”

I hadn’t thought of it like that, which is probably stupid of me. But then, Archie is mister organised. He thinkseverythingthrough. And he’s right. It’s a bigger risk for him to take than me.

"And there's my brothers and my niece," he goes on. "I don't think Corey and Blake could afford the rent without me. Corey's teaching wage is decent, but Blake's income is all over the place."

I don’t know what to say to that. Pretty much any argument I could raise or question I could ask would come across in a bad way. I stay quiet, giving him space to voice all his concerns.

“And we’d have no space of our own,” he goes on. “Right now, Icango home if one or both of us has a bad day or if we have an argument. But if we livedandworked together, we’d be in each other’s pockets every second of every day. What if we get sick of the sight of each other?”

I don’t think I could ever get sick of the sight of him.

“Moving in together is a huge step, Sir. Are you sure we’re ready to take it?”

I take a moment to think about his question but keep coming back to the same answer.

“No,” I reply honestly. “But I’m not sure anyone can ever be truly sure. I know I love you. I know I adore spending time with you and miss you when you’re not here. I know you’re the best lover, sub, and boyfriend I’ve ever had, not to mention the best PA.”

His blush deepens. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Sir.”