Chapter 5
Simmons
“Plans for this weekend? I thought we could grab a drink at Nyctra, maybe find you a sub?”
I internally roll my eyes as I stare at my friend and colleague across the table.
My last sub had moved away a couple of months ago, something about a new start and finding the one.
Good for him. I wondered if the one would enjoy watching him get spanked until bruised and then fucked by a group of Doms on a casual club Friday, just like I used to do for him.
“I can’t,” I tell him as I lift my espresso to my lips. This Parisian cafe near my house was an absolute must when I had time off from working at the university.
I rarely had Sunday mornings free as I was a self-confessed workaholic, but for Arnie, I’d do anything for him.
He was like a brother, one I loved and sometimes shared subs with, but never going there with each other.
Arnie was all muscle, black ink, and attitude.
But his Dom persona wouldn’t work on me because I taught him everything he knew.
“Oh, come on. I have that new boy you set me up with. His forms came back, and he’s got a couple of kinks in common with you,” Arnie argues to my response.
“No. You just want me to come along so you can parade him around in front of me as well as everyone else,” I tease.
The waitress comes over and places down our eggs Florentine before smiling shyly and leaving. We thank her while ordering more coffee.
“Also, I can’t even if I wanted to,” I continue once she has left.” I need to go to the airport. Gerald is flying back from his bum about Europe trip and asked if someone local could get him.”
“Wait. You offered to pick up your annoying neighbour, Gerald? Why? I thought the guy was annoying as fuck?” Arnie asks as he cuts into his poached eggs. I fidget with the napkin across my lap, knowing he was definitely about to judge why I was helping my irritating old neighbour.
“Well, he is. But I felt bad for him. All his family are dead or live miles from him. He works from home, and I don’t think he has many friends.
I offered because I’m a nice guy and also because he got my number somehow and I felt like I couldn’t say no,” I confess, now looking at how I was cutting my food rather than Arnie’s stony stare.
“Fuck. You’re going soft,” he chuckles, his face softening. I scowl at him, but that spurs him on. Stupid, smirking know-it-all that he is.
“Anyway. There’s the reason I can’t come. His flight is in at 4pm and I know by the time he grabs his bags, we get in the car and home, I’ll be far too overstimulated for any club stuff,” I say honestly.
I wasn’t big on people. Yeah, I was a university professor and a Dom at an exclusive gay club called Nyctra, but when it came to time on my own, I liked it alone. Except for my annoying best friend, Arnie, who could interrupt me anytime he wanted, apparently.
“Well, another time then,” he says, taking large gulps from his cappuccino. How it wasn’t burning the mouth of him, I’d never know. A lover of pain through and through, it would seem.
“I’m not saying never. Don’t get yourself thinking that I’m wallowing in self-pity. I love a good juicy peach as much as the next Dom. I’m just busy this weekend is all,” I assure him.
He waves me off in favour of finishing his food, so I do the same.
I look out the window next to where we are sitting.
The summer would be ending, and I’d be going back to work soon.
I always loved the new school year. I enjoyed it more than New Year's in January.
For me, it was a time of reset. A time for new beginnings.
And oh god was it the summer for new beginnings.