Page 228 of Haunted
“Here?”
Sol nodded. “Robert asked me to work here full-time. It’s one week out of every month, and the rest of the time I’ve got my website design. Plus, there’s a clinic in Bozeman that has a vacancy for a counselor.Thisis what I spent last week doing—getting all my ducks in a row.”
“But what will you do here?”
“Same thing I did the opening week. I’ll do demonstrations, teach, talk…”
Butch frowned. “Will you have to live in the Leather barn?”
Sol laughed. “I don’t know yet, I just got here, remember? We haven’t sorted out the fine print yet.”
A trickle of cold stole through him. “Which came first—the decision to accept the job offer, or to talk to me?”
Sol shifted closer to him, his hand on Butch’s nape. “You come first.Always. Do you hear me? I’d already made up my mind to come back here when Robert called.”
Relief surged throughout his body. “Okay.”
“But that leads me to my next question.” Sol cupped his bearded jaw and gazed into his eyes. “You still want to be my sub?”
Holy fuck.
Butch’s heart danced. “Yes.”
Sol beamed. “I amsohappy you said that.” He lurched up off the couch and across the room to where a bag sat under the window. He picked it up and came back to Butch. Sol reached into the bag and removed a square flat box, and a smaller one. He opened the first, and Butch’s breathing caught when he saw its contents.
A metal chain nestled in white cotton batting, its two ends looped through a small padlock.
“The boss wears something like that sometimes,” Butch said in a low voice. “I’ve seen it.”
Sol nodded. “You remember the black leather collar you wore for the photo? This is a permanent version.” He raised Butch’s chin with his fingers. “This is for you if you’ll accept it, only not yet, okay?” His mouth went down at the corners. “I know I did some damage—that whole non-communication thing—but I promise I’ll be open and honest with you from now on. And if you think you’re ready—no,whenyou’re ready—then…” He straightened. “I’d like to put it on you. I’ll have the key. Any Dom who sees this will know you’re not available—you’re spoken for.” He closed the lid, and Butch breathed a little easier.
“You’re right. I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.”
Sol’s sigh came from someplace deep. “You say that, but you know what I see when I look into your eyes? How much I screwed up. So you’re right to be cautious.” He bit back a smile. “There’s also the fact I know stuff like collars—visual links between a Dom and sub—can be overwhelming for a new sub.” His eyes twinkled. “Especially one who’s only recently come out about his own sexuality. But we’ll get there. There are a few things we’ll need to discuss before we do, however.” He placed the box on the coffee table. “You were right about something else too. I have two parts to my life, and they both matter. Most of the time it will be just you and me—Sol and Butch—boyfriends. Partners.” He smiled. “Lovers.”
Butch’s heartbeat quickened. “But there would be times when you’d be working with other guys—in scenes, right?—and that might involve… sex. You said as much.”
Sol regarded him steadily. “Exactly.” He cocked his head. “Scenes you might also want to be involved in. How do you feel about that?”
All those times he’d contemplated Sol in a scene with a sub, he hadn’t once considered he might be a part of it.
But he was considering it now.
Butch swallowed. “You don’t have to worry about my feelings toward you having sex in scenes or with your clients. Believe it or not, my head accepts that.” He managed a smile. “I know all about sex not involving emotions. That was what I had with Race, after all, and every other guy I fucked. But as for how I’d feel about being in a scene with others… I guess I won’t know until we get to that part.”
“Sex in a scene is just that—sex.” Sol leaned in and kissed him. “What we share is completely different. And you’re right. We won’t take a step in that direction until you really want it—if you ever get to that point.”
Butch inhaled deeply. “Thank you.”
“The one thing that matters more than anything else? Consent. I will never expect you to do something you don’t want to do, okay? You’re going to find things you like the sound of, and then at the last minute you’ll change your mind and pull back, and that’s fine, you hear me?”
“I hear you.”
It was all good.
Sol picked up the smaller box. “This isn’t related to BDSM, but itisimportant to me.” He opened it, and Butch forgot to breathe.
Inside was a ring.
