Page 5 of The Year of Us: October

Cory

Reese and I would probably never have the kind of dynamic where I dictated what he ate and wore, and when he went to bed, and when he got up.

It wasn’t the kind of control that I needed.

Reese would always have that edge of dominance in him, and maybe that’s what had attracted me to begin with.

And though I was positive there were many things we still had to learn about each other, I didn’t think he’d mind if I picked out his costume.

I’d looked at a lot of different things, but he’d need something he could work in and that meant being able to move around easily. Face paint would be fine if necessary, but any accessories would have to be limited as the space behind the bar would be extra crowded.

Did I have to get them special ordered? Probably not.

No. But I’d seen a cheap pair online and I wanted him to have something that didn’t look like it was purchased from a dollar store.

I almost had to get him something cheap and tatty looking anyway because I’d put my order in so late, but they’d arrived in the nick of time on the day before Halloween.

“I got you a surprise.” I told him as I sat down on the couch next to him. Reese looked away from his phone where he was clearly texting with Morgan. The woman loved emojis and gifs.

“Should I be worried?” Reese arched an eyebrow, but the corners of his mouth upturned.

“You should always be a little worried, darling.”

His nostrils flared, and he tore his gaze away from me. I watched him smooth his hands over the box before opening it. He folded back the black tissue paper, and I saw his face go from curious, to confused, to alarmed, and then back to curious again.

“It’s your Halloween costume.”

He pulled a set of dog ears attached to a headband out of the box.

They were black with little silver hairs peppered through them to add some dimension.

The hair was a little on the long side, making them look fluffy as hell.

They were soft to the touch and expertly crafted by the looks of them.

I smiled as I told Reese about the best part.

“It comes with a tail, but that’s not safe for work.”

Reese’s head snapped to the side, and he looked at me with wide eyes. “A tail? You’re not serious.”

“Is it a limit, Reese?”

He looked away. Running his fingers over the fur, he shook his head. “I can’t believe you bought me puppy ears.”

“That wasn’t an answer.” I kept my tone gentle. “You can tell me no.”

“I’m not saying no.” Reese informed me, sounding slightly impatient, but I wasn’t sure it was me he was getting impatient with.

“You can take time to think about it. It doesn’t have to be a kinky thing. It can just be an evening of you wearing dog ears for Halloween and nothing else.

“I didn’t take you for the dog owner type.” Reese traced the ears with his fingertips again. “Woof, woof.” he said, laughing a little afterward.

“I find myself in uncharted territory with you.”

Reese set the ears in the box and shifted around to face me. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that, for the first time, I have someone I can explore things with. I think there’s only so much self-discovery I was comfortable doing when it didn’t mean anything. But with you, everything means something. It makes me want to try everything with you.”

He looked at me like he was trying to solve a puzzle. “How about we negotiate?”

“I’m listening.”

“I’ll wear the ears Halloween night, and you can wear whatever costume you picked to go with it, and after work, you bring me back here and you make good on that promise to fist me.”

We’d been slowly working up to him taking my fist. Reese had never been fisted before, and I wanted to make sure he was as prepared as humanly possible.

There was also a chance I was perhaps being overly cautious with him.

He’d said he wanted things rough. He’d said yes to fisting.

I had to trust that he meant those yesses when he’d meant every other word he said to me.

I had to trust myself that I could be enough for him.

That my rough was rough enough. That my presence was large enough.

That anything he let me do to him would be well-received.

“Okay,” I told him. “Halloween, after work, I’ll give you a treat because you’ve been such a good boy.”

Reese smirked at me and pulled the ears out of the box. He slipped them on his head and looked at me, tilting his head to the side. “What do you think?”

“I think that I like it far more than I expected to.” I let out a breath and resisted the urge to adjust my rapidly filling cock. But I must have shifted in my seat, or maybe Reese just knew me well enough by now that he could tell when I was wound up.

“Did you want to take them for a test run?” He slid to the floor and sat there, kneeling. Hands pressed flat on the floor.

“Fuck.” I reached for him, cupped his face in both my hands, and brought my mouth down to his.

I was a goner for this man. This man who let me indulge my whims without so much as a blink.

“I think there was a time, not too long ago, when this would’ve been difficult for you, so I want to ask you how you’re feeling about it?

About kneeling like this while wearing that.

You’ve given me so much, and I want to make sure you’re okay with it.

That I’m not asking too much or pushing too hard, or moving too fast.”

“Cory. They’re just ears.”

“Are they just ears?”

Reese held my gaze, and I could tell he was thinking about what I said. “For right now, they’re just a costume my gorgeous, thoughtful boyfriend got me for Halloween.”

I gently nudged one of the ears with my fingers. “You are cute as hell in them. Like I knew you’d be.”

He rolled his eyes, but he still blushed when I complimented him. I hope he never stopped.

“I’m not cute.” Reese pouted, only increasing how adorable he was.

“Okay, fine. You’re not cute. You’re the sexiest man alive.”

“Cory?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Can I see the tail?”

It wasn’t what I’d expected him to say, and it made me belly laugh. “Of course, you can.” I swooped forward to steal another kiss.