Chapter 10
ROWAN
Lunch is amazing. I offer to split the bill, but Damon insists on paying. Afterwards, we brave the gardens, which are beautiful in the snow.
“We should have bought coats, hats, and gloves at the charity shop,” I muse.
“If you’re cold, we can go inside,” he says.
“I’m fine. For now. I’ve got to know: do your parents know what kind of business you and Nigel have?”
“It’s Nigel’s business, really. I’m just a partner.”
“Just? From what you said earlier, you built it up together.”
Damon shrugs. “It was his vision; he dragged me along for the ride. I’m happy to be involved, but I leave all the big decisions to him.”
“Uh-huh. But do your parents know what you design and sell?”
“Yes.”
I gape at him. “Really? Wow!”
“Do your parents know who you work for?” he asks.
“No. I’d be too embarrassed to have that conversation with them.”
He tilts his head. “Why?”
“Because there are things I don’t want them to know about me. My sex life, for a start.”
“Working for a sex toy company doesn’t tell them anything about your sex life.”
“Oh, no, of course not,” I say sarcastically. “Do you have any other siblings?”
“Just Nigel.”
“What’s it like, owning a business with your brother?”
He scratches his jaw. “It can be a pain in the arse, especially when he decides to dump all the work on me while he swans off to fuck knows where.”
“You don’t even know where he is?”
“No clue. Just that he got there via a plane.”
“Do you know when he’s coming back?”
“The New Year.”
“It was shitty of him to do that to you.”
Damon sighs and squeezes my hand. “It was, but if he hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here now.”
“True. Maybe I should thank him.”
Damon glances at me.
“Or I can keep my mouth shut.” I pretend to zip my lips shut.
Damon shakes his head. “You shouldn’t have to. I can own my decisions. I chose to keep you warm last night.”
I snigger. “We did a lot more than that.”
“Yes, and I already told you I don’t regret it. If we keep seeing each other, I won’t keep it secret from Nigel.”
I raise my eyebrows. “If?”
“You might get sick of me.”
I snort-laugh. “Unlikely. I’m pretty sure I’ve only just scratched the surface of what it’s like to be Damon Cole’s boy. You’ll probably be the one who gets sick of me.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m irrepressibly happy.” I grin.
He stops, turns me so we’re facing each other, and cups my cheek. “That’s one of the things that makes you so endearing.”
“One of them? What other things are there?”
He brushes his fingertip over my face. “Your freckles. The colour of your hair.” He runs his fingers through my hair. “Your beautiful eyes. Your smile. Your laugh.”
My face feels like it’s going to combust.
“The way you blush.”
“My face is probably clashing with my hair right now.”
“Not at all. You’re stunning.”
I fan my face.
“And I’m sure, as we get to know each other, I’ll be able to add more things to the list. Do you have any siblings?” He walks again, gently tugging me along with him.
I’m not sure if I appreciate the change of subject, or if it’s just confusing. “Uh, no, I’m an only child.”
“What was that like?”
“Fun, I guess. Sometimes a little lonely, because I didn’t have a playmate or best friend on tap. On the other hand, I learnt how to amuse myself when my parents were busy.”
“Are you and your parents close?”
“Close enough that I was supposed to spend Christmas with them.”
“You’re not annoyed that you’re not?”
“Annoyed? No. Disappointed? Maybe a little. I mean, they could have invited me along on the cruise! But if they had, I wouldn’t be here now, with you.”
“You wouldn’t rather be on a cruise?”
“No. I’m happy exactly where I am.”
We stop to caress and kiss beneath an archway made of plants.
I’m not sure what plants, as they’re covered in snow and not in bloom, but it’s still a magical place to show Damon how into him I am.
I love how masterful his kisses are. Gentle, yet commanding, as he holds my hip possessively, like he’s claiming me.
Well, I’m happy to be claimed by him. He’s making all my fantasies come true right now, including some I haven’t dreamt of yet.
We move out from under the arch and walk around a frozen pond. Lily pads are trapped in the ice. Beneath the hard, transparent surface, we catch glimpses of giant fish swimming lazily.
“Do you normally spend Christmas alone?” I ask.
“Mostly.”
“Why?”
“I’m not really into it.” He sighs. “My parents always tried to make it special for us, but they often went into debt to do it. Nigel and I didn’t realise that until we were older, of course, but once we did, we went to them and asked them to stop.
So, we stopped making a big deal of Christmas, and I guess I never really got back into it once Elevated started doing well. ”
My heart squeezes tight.
“On the other hand, Nigel loves Christmas. The first year Elevated turned a profit, he took our parents out for Christmas dinner. He sends them money every year, now, so they can celebrate in style.”
“You could join them,” I suggest.
“I could, and I do, sometimes.”
“But not this year?”
He shakes his head.
“Am I ruining your quiet Christmas for one?”
“No. My plans changed. For the better.”
I grin.
“I assume you like Christmas?”
“Oh, I love it. I enjoy seeing carol singers and making mulled wine. I enjoy drinking it, too.”
Damon chuckles.
“I love picking out presents for friends and family. I love all the decorations and how bright and happy everything looks. And Christmas songs are so much fun! They’re bouncy and joyful and always make me smile.”
“Is there anything that doesn’t make you smile?”
I hum as I consider his question. “Seeing people sad or upset. I also hate seeing animals get hurt.”
“Noted.”
Having exhausted the gardens, we turn back towards the main building.
“You never did finish telling me about your apartment.”
Damon frowns. “I’m pretty sure I did.”
“Nope. You told me the things I’d expect to see in a not very well-written advertisement in an estate agent's window.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Why you picked it. What drew you to it. Why did you have to live there.”
“It’s close to a train station.”
I roll my eyes. “And it has a good view. So do hundreds of other apartments. Why that one?”
He purses his lips. “I got a good feeling from it.”
I wave my hand, encouraging him to continue.
“It’s modern, but has good storage. I’m not a fan of clutter, so I like being able to shut everything away.”
“Are you a minimalist?”
“No. I just don’t like mess.”
I clap my hand to my mouth. “Speaking of which, I should wash my dildo when we get back to the hotel room.”
He smiles. “I’ll do it.”
“Umm…”
“I’m the one who used it.”
“On me.”
“Let me clean it, boy.”
“Thank you, Daddy. Will we be using it again while we’re here?”
“Maybe.”
“I’d rather have your cock inside me,” I whisper in a giddy tone.
“I’d like that, too.”
I bounce on the soles of my feet. “We have time to play before dinner, don’t we?”
He checks his watch. “Yes.”
“I’ve been good, haven’t I?”
He glances at me approvingly. “Very good.”
“Then don’t keep me in suspense any longer, Daddy. Hold me down. Fuck me. Please?”
“Any other requests?” he asks in an amused tone.
I tap my finger against my chin. “Fuck me?”
“You already said that.”
“I know. I’m just showing you how much I want it. How much I want you, Daddy.”
He pulls me to a halt for another searing kiss. “I want you, too, boy.”
“Then let’s hurry back to our room, because I’m not sure I can wait any longer.”