Chapter 5
Austin woke up feeling great.
Refreshed. Calm, but full of energy. Like the morning after a really great workout, or an awards show.
Five years ago, he’d won an award that his agent assured him would open up a world of new possibilities, and she’d been right: his career had skyrocketed.
The morning after that award made him feel like he was on top of the world.
This was like that. Except without the hangover.
Austin stretched, wondering why he felt so great. Then last night came flooding back. Dominic taking his chin and telling him to get in the car. Telling him not to touch himself. Getting Austin to kneel on a cushion and finally, finally feeding him his cock.
Austin flushed, remembering how easily he’d given into all of Dominic’s commands.
He hadn’t even made Dominic work for it.
At most, he’d tossed out a few smart comments.
Then he’d fallen over himself in his haste to obey.
Like he really was a good puppy, as Dominic had said.
Austin never thought he was into that, but his cock had jerked every time Dominic said it, so what did he know?
At least Dominic hadn’t made fun of him for any of it. That was something he was always afraid of. That Domnic would give him that look everyone else gave him when he dared imply that he didn’t want to be Big, Badass Austin Wayne all the time. Like he was doing something wrong.
Dominic never looked at him like that. He’d looked at Austin like he saw him. And not only that, but that he liked what he saw.
Austin glanced over at the empty side of the bed. Obviously, Dominic didn’t feel that strongly if he’d let him wake up alone. He hadn’t even left a note.
His phone vibrated on the nightstand. Austin frowned at it.
He didn’t remember putting it there last night.
Then again, his memories near the end of the night were fuzzy.
Dominic must have placed his phone there when he was cleaning Austin up with a cloth.
The cloth had been warm, Austin remembered, like Dominic had taken the time to run it under a hot faucet first.
Austin reached over to his phone and paused. There was a jar sitting next to it. His mind immediately went to lube, but then he saw the bee on the jar. Were there beeswax lubes now?
He checked his phone. It was from Dominic. Even the name on Austin’s screen sent a thrill up his spine.
Honey for your throat, the text read. Two spoonfuls. Send me a picture after.
Austin craned his neck. There was a spoon next to the jar he hadn’t seen before.
It was his favorite, the one he used for ice cream during a rare cheat day.
Small, silver, and rounded, like the fancy teaspoons in his childhood cutlery drawer.
Other than his little brother Levi, Dominic was the only one who knew he even had a favorite spoon.
Austin grinned stupidly at his phone. Then he sat up and dragged the jar over, twisting it open with a satisfying crack and dipping the spoon in.
The honey was smooth and sweet, with hints of vanilla as it went down.
Austin took two spoonfuls, then sucked the metal after.
He paused, spoon still in his mouth. Then he picked up his phone again and snapped a photo of him sucking on the spoon.
His gaze was slightly predatory, as it was in every sexy photo he’d ever sent to anyone, but old habits died hard.
Still, Austin bet that if Dominic was here, he could turn that predatory look into one of prey in a second.
Every moment he had started defaulting back to his regular demeanor last night, Dominic had dragged him right back to where Austin wanted to be.
On his knees. Waiting for that next order.
Seconds after sending the photo, Austin’s phone vibrated with a call.
Austin grinned and clicked answer. “No FaceTime? Disappointing.”
“You get to see me when you’ve earned it,” Dominic said.
Austin’s cock twitched against his bare thigh. That was false, obviously. Austin would see him this evening on his usual shift. But the implication was enough to make him gasp.
“Two spoonfuls?” Dominic continued.
Austin shrugged. “Yeah.”
“Good puppy,” Dominic said, the word washing over Austin like no drug ever could. “So obedient.”
Only for you, Austin thought. He bit his tongue. Dominic didn’t want to hear that. Nobody wanted to hear the sappy shit that he came up in the privacy of his own mind.
“Woof,” Austin said jokingly. “I can swallow anything you want, man.”
Dominic said nothing. It took Austin a moment for a memory to come trickling back, sweet as honey.
“Sir,” he corrected himself. “I can swallow anything you want, sir.”
Dominic chuckled. Austin tipped his head back against the cushion, reveling in the sound. He’d spent all this time coaxing those rare laughs out of him, and now Dominic was giving him two laughs in as many days.
“So, is that what gets you off?” Austin asked, unable to stop himself. “Like, role reversal shit? You call me Mr. Wayne at work, but when we’re alone, I’m the one calling you sir and being your… your puppy, or whatever?”
“I didn’t hear you complaining.”
Austin licked honey off his teeth and thought about Dominic filling his mouth with salt.
“Seriously,” Austin said. “Thanks. For last night. I’d been hoping for that.”
Dominic paused. Austin grimaced, imagining what his lawyer would say about this. Or his brother Levi when he inevitably told him. The lawyer would at least be polite about it. Levi was going to laugh in his face.
“I just didn’t think you’d do anything about it,” Austin continued. “You’re so…”
“Uptight?”
“In control,” Austin corrected. “You don’t seem like an impulse guy.”
“I’m not,” Dominic said. “Not anymore, anyway.”
“What changed?”
Dominic didn’t even hesitate. “You.”
Austin grinned. He felt giddy. There was a voice in the back of his head whispering that maybe starting something with his bodyguard wasn’t the best idea, but it was easy to ignore with Dominic speaking to him like this.
“I was hoping for this too,” Dominic admitted. “You’re lucky I have so much restraint. Otherwise, I would have fucked you in that first week.”
Austin groaned, slipping a hand under the sheets to grip his hardening cock. He was almost glad Dominic had made him wait so long. It had only made last night better. So many months of fantasies, all coming true at once.
“I’m surprised everyone doesn’t see how bad you need it,” Dominic said.
Okay, Austin decided. We’re doing this.
He wrapped a hand around his cock, remembering Dominic’s strong hand around his shaft.
“I’m a really good actor,” Austin said. “You just…”
See through me, he didn’t say. It was too much, even for him. Dominic already had so much power over him. He didn’t want to give him everything. Not yet, anyway.
“So,” Austin said instead. “We’re doing this?”
As far as come-ons went, it wasn’t his best. In his defense, he was still flying blind. He’d never been in a dynamic like this.
Dominic’s voice went husky. “Are you touching yourself?”
Austin’s hand froze. Was he supposed to ask permission? He wished Dominic would tell him this shit.
“Uhhh,” Austin said. “Can I?”
“No,” Dominic said simply. “You can wait.”
Austin groaned, grudgingly letting go of himself. “What? Come on!”
“Who’s in control here?”
Even through the frustration, it made Austin shiver. Some of that calm from before the phone call trickled back. He didn’t have to put on an act here. He just had to do what Dominic said.
“You,” he muttered.
“Good puppy,” Dominic said. “Have you eaten breakfast?”
Austin blinked. Were they seriously not going to have phone sex? Even after Dominic called him puppy?
“No,” he said. “Just honey.”
“I’m coming over. Don’t eat anything before I get there.”
“Oh yeah?” Austin sat up, trying to quell his excitement. “Should I get dressed, or do you want me naked and tied up in the front hall?”
Dominic laughed, surprised. “You can wear whatever you want. But we’re eating first. And I’m bringing something for you to put on—after.”
Austin’s brows shot up. The pause made Dominic sound like he was nervous about it. What the hell was he bringing him?
“Like what?” Austin asked. “I had a girl who wanted me to wear nothing but that leather jacket from the Scarnut movie. You know, the one I—”
“Stole from the wardrobe department,” Dominic said. “I remember. There’s no leather jackets, don’t worry.”
He hesitated again. Austin rubbed his waxed chest and wondered what could make Dominic, who had ordered his boss to suck his dick less than twelve hours ago, nervous.
“Have you heard from the morning security team?” Dominic asked finally.
Austin tapped his phone to check. He had an email from his agent and yet another promo from Uber Eats he would never use, but otherwise nothing.
“No,” he said. “Should I? Shit, don’t tell me. There was a sexy, buff guy sneaking out of my house last night.”
To his immense disappointment, Dominic didn’t laugh.
“The gun that went off in that wait staff locker last night,” Dominic said. “We just confirmed who it belongs to.”
“Okay,” Austin said, his stomach sinking. “Who?’
“Gail Dain.”
A name that could make Austin soft no matter the situation. He pushed himself out of bed, suddenly itching to lift some weights or go for a run.
Gail Dain was—as of two years ago—his most dedicated stalker. He’d only talked to her once, when he signed a napkin for her. She ran into him outside a restaurant she’d followed him into, evading the front-of-house staff who asked for her reservation so she could find him.
She seemed cool at first. Tall, tattooed, and muscled, just like him. Gail hadn’t gotten flustered as so many fans did. She actually looked him in the eyes. It was nice, before he realized how intently she was watching him.
I just think we’re so alike, she had told him as he scribbled her name down on a napkin. Kindred spirits.
Totally, he had agreed mindlessly. Thanks, man. Keep it real.