Chapter 1 #2
He expected the usual cool response. For all of Austin’s teasing, Dominic stayed—for the most part—purely professional.
But Dominic stepped closer, until his legs were almost brushing Austin’s knees.
Then he cocked his head, staring down at Austin in a way that made him want to hide in the cushions.
“Do I?” Dominic said softly.
Austin’s breath caught. He was standing close enough to touch. If he was anyone else, Austin would think about pulling him down on top of him. But suddenly his mind was blank. His tough guy persona was gone, replaced by a fuzzy static interspersed with occasional bouts of pleading.
Austin let out a thin, weird laugh. “Not like that. Obviously. I’d never hold that over your head, or whatever. Just because I’m paying your bills doesn’t mean you have to do everything I say.”
“I know,” Dominic said.
He didn’t look surprised by his awkward rambling.
He rarely looked surprised by anything Austin did, which was a pleasant surprise.
He’d had maids who had been shocked to see him weeping over a sad movie or even when he was friendly toward them.
Like they expected him to be scowly and terrifying 24/7.
Or at least be powerful, in control, and calling the shots all the time, even when it came to picking what kind of food he wanted in the fridge.
Dominic never looked at him like that. Actually, the way he looked at Austin sometimes—hell, the way he was looking at him right now—made Austin think that Dominic knew everything that Austin longed for when he was alone in bed with one hand down his boxers.
The things he couldn’t ask his one-night stands or even his partners for.
Things he could never have, because nobody bothered to see past the persona he’d started building when he was a dumb kid.
The moment stretched. Dominic’s dark eyes burned into his, and for a moment, Austin thought this might really be it. The moment he’d been waiting for since Dominic’s first shift.
Then Dominic stepped back, and his heart fell.
“Go to bed, Mr. Wayne,” Dominic told him. He turned toward the front hall.
Austin sat up despairingly. “What, I have a bedtime now? Come on, watch a movie with me! We’ll eat ice cream. It’s a cheat day.”
Dominic turned back. The small motion made Austin’s heart leap hopefully, even though he knew what was coming. Dominic hadn’t joined him for a single movie in the year he’d been working for him.
“You could afford to have a few more of those,” Dominic said. “Abs are a sign—”
“That I don’t eat enough, I know.” Austin pulled his button-down out of his slacks and held it up to expose his stomach, flexing so his studio-mandated six-pack gleamed in all its boringly hard-won glory. “It’s in my contract, okay?”
He pushed himself to his feet and crossed the room until he was in front of Dominic. He dug a finger into the man’s soft belly, wishing it wasn’t covered by that pressed suit.
“Can’t all be built like you,” he said.
It was meant to be teasing. A schoolyard taunt. But Dominic didn’t step back as he expected, and Austin’s poke soon turned into his hand resting on Dominic’s stomach, feeling him breathe.
Dominic watched him curiously. He wasn’t much taller, but Austin suddenly felt so small he didn’t know what to do with himself. It was lovely but also panic-inducing.
He stepped back, clearing his throat. “Anyway, uh, even with all that, I bet I could take you in a fight. These aren’t just for show, you know?”
He flexed his biceps. It felt stupid, showing off for him. His muscles were just for show; he didn’t even do his own stunts. Dominic, however, had both muscle and fighting experience. Not to mention he was at least a hundred pounds heavier and dwarfed Austin whenever they stood next to each other.
“I could,” Austin said when Dominic didn’t say anything. He bounced from foot to foot, giddy with nerves. “What, are you scared? Afraid I’ll pin you?”
“Don’t tempt me,” Dominic said.
Austin bounced to a stop, grinning like an idiot. The kind of smile that made his brother scoff and say things like, I don’t know how anyone can be afraid of a face like that. You look like a golden retriever. Hence why he didn’t do it very much.
But what else could he do? Dominic brought it out of him.
“I don’t know,” Austin said. “You look like you want to be tempted.”
Dominic’s jaw flexed. The smallest twitch, drawing Austin’s eye like a bullseye. Dominic was so unfazed all the time. Getting this much of a reaction made Austin want to cheer.
Then Dominic reached up, and any urge to cheer went still and quiet as Austin’s brain fritzed out.
Dominic never touched him unless he was on the job.
A hand on his shoulder to get his attention, or maybe a brush of his elbow as they settled next to each other in a car.
If Austin got really lucky, Dominic would put a hand on the small of his back to lead him somewhere.
Austin had wandered off many times just to feel that hand touch him again.
Dominic splayed a hand over his chest. It was so gentle it stole the breath from Austin’s lungs. Then the pressure grew, and Dominic pushed him back.
“Go to bed,” he said, not unkindly. “Mr. Wayne.”
Austin shoved down the knee-jerk disappointment. He never got what he wanted when this was what he was asking for. Besides, he was an idiot if he thought he could finally make Dominic give in to the urges he thought he saw in his face on nights like this.
Unlike Austin, Dominic was always in control. He wasn’t about to let that go just because his employer was desperate to get on his knees for him.
Austin rolled his eyes. “Fine. Be boring. I’ll go… tuck myself into bed, I guess.”
He turned to leave, already preparing his fantasy in his head. At least Dominic had given him ample new material to use.
“Good boy,” Dominic said simply.
The word washed over him like a shot of whiskey. It made Austin want to offer him anything to say it again.
Austin turned back. Dominic was walking toward the front door, seemingly unfazed by all of this.
Austin cleared his throat, which was suddenly desert-dry. “What was that?”
Dominic didn’t miss a beat. “Goodnight, Mr. Wayne.”
And with that, he vanished into the front hall.
Austin watched him go, disappointment and horniness at war in his stomach. Then he stumbled upstairs to his cold, empty bed to jerk off. If there was one thing he could always count on his faithful bodyguard for, it was endless spank bank material.