Preston sounded pleased as he let out a quiet hum and pulled me tighter. He held me close as he walked us farther into the house and shut the door, the lock echoing in the quiet house. The fact that I hadn’t remembered to close the door before throwing myself at him should have made me mortified, but I only felt relief at the privacy that meant I wouldn’t have to wait any longer.
I felt him press a kiss to my neck as he held me tightly and waited while I clung to him. “You’ve been worrying, haven’t you?”
I nodded slowly, still feeling foolish for not having called him.
“What should you have done about that?” His hand left my ass and started slowly stroking over my back.
“Called or texted you.” There was no way to hide the frustration in my voice. “I’m sorry.”
I felt another kiss, and he tightened his hold. “No sorries, but next time you need to let me know something is worrying you. I can’t take care of my boy if you aren’t honest.”
Had I been dishonest?
“Was I being dishonest?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
Preston took the question seriously. “Did you think about calling me and telling me you were worried?”
“Kind of.” I took a deep breath and let his scent wrap around me. “I had questions…but I didn’t want you to think I was being ridiculous.” I had to force the last part out, but I knew I couldn’t hold it back.
“Would I have thought your questions were ridiculous?” He asked the question, but he made it sound like we both already knew the answer…because we did.
“No.” I sighed and turned to rest my cheek against his shoulder.
“Then should you have called me or texted me if that was too hard?” He slowly caressed me and held me tight as I worked up the strength to answer him.
“Yes.”
“What else could you have done to let me know you were stressed?”
“Um…email you?” I tried not to sigh, but it was hard.
“What was the last text I sent you last night?” I felt Preston turn his head so he could press a kiss to my forehead.
I had to think back. The texts felt like a lifetime of worrying ago. “Um, that you couldn’t wait to see me and that I needed to let you know if I got upset.”
Well, shit.
I let out the sigh that I’d been holding back. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not upset, but I don’t like that you were worried. If we’d have talked for even a few minutes, I think you would have felt better.” Another kiss was pressed against my head. “I know it’s hard, but you need to tell me when something is wrong. Especially when it’s something I can help you with.”
I nodded slowly, letting the words sink in.
“Even if I can’t help you, I want you to know I’m there for you—that I’ll listen or hold you if that’s all I can do.” His hand moved up and started stroking over my hair, and I leaned back so I could look up at him.
“I promise to try.” I gave him a slightly embarrassed shrug. “I’m not used to…this. This talking and sharing and not having to hide things. It’s hard.”
He smiled tenderly and nodded. “Thank you. If it comes down to it, and I have to help you communicate more, there will be consequences.”
Consequences?
“Like punishments?” I was back to flashes of spanking fantasies flowing through my brain.
Preston grinned. “Not fun ones.”
“Oh.” That didn’t sound good. “Like what?”
If spankings were fun punishments, what was a real one?
