Page 95 of The Blame Game

“Yeah, I get that. But c’mon there has to be something else you’re into. Puzzles, art, music … something!”

“Ugh, you sound like Jonah. He was all worried about what Felix would do to replace the alcohol during his recovery.”

Shea arched an eyebrow. Well, that was interesting. Had Dom compared him to a guy on his team who was dating their fellow teammate? But that way lay madness so Shea kept pressing. “Well, what did Felix end up going with?”

“Honestly, he tried out a bunch of stuff. Jonah got him a hobby of the month club. He built a small radio and I know at one point he started crocheting or knitting or something. I think he made some little stuffed plant thing for Jonah at one point. It was cute and all but …”

“Well, maybe knitting isn’t for you but you could ask Felix what else he got in the kit and see if any of those things interest you. And what about Nico? He was out for a long time after his surgery, right?”

“Yeah, I know what he did. He started social media accounts for the cat and fish he and August have. The Adventures of Miss Muffins and Marty the Fish.” Dom snorted. “Ridiculous. But we love him. For some fucking reason.”

Shea laughed. “Remind me to check that out when I’m not driving.”

“I will. But that’s not exactly how I want to spend my time, you know?”

“Really, Dom?” Shea teased. “You aren’t interested in becoming a social media influencer for cats? I never would have guessed.”

Dom chuckled. “Fine, maybe that was stating the obvious. But you’re right. I should talk to the guys about how to keep myself occupied.”

“I do like hearing that I’m right,” Shea said with relish. “It’s so satisfying.”

“Well, I’m glad I can satisfy you.”

Shea shifted, his cock quickly responding to Dom’s words and tone. “You know you satisfy me,” he said in a low voice.

“Do I?” Dom sounded morose now.

“Do you doubt it?” Shea asked.

Though it didn’t surprise him that Dom was in a funk right now. Chronic pain wore on a person and without any of his usual outlets, he had nothing to keep himself occupied or to look forward to.

Still, he needed to snap out of it and stop acting like whatever was going on was a death sentence to their sex life.

Sex was about so much more than the physical body—it was about the mind.

Shea’d had several clients over the years with disabilities that meant sex required some creativity. Those were clients Shea enjoyed working with because they were people who were open to all of the ways sex and sensual touch could go.

Shea wouldn’t say Dom was completely closed-minded, but he was maybe narrow-minded. It wasn’t entirely his fault. He’d never needed to expand the world he lived in but maybe that was something Shea could give him.

Despite the recent shift in mood between them, Shea had no real illusions about where he and Dom were headed long-term.

Shea might not want kids but that didn’t mean he didn’t want a partner. A deep, long-lasting, loving commitment.

He’d always assumed that person would be female but his feelings for Dom had thrown that assumption out the window. But he wasn’t naïve enough to believe that that person was going to be Dom.

Would he like it to be? With every fiber of his being. But Shea was more realistic than that. Dom had no desire to come out and well, Shea had already spent a good chunk of his twenties hiding an awful lot about himself and what he did.

He didn’t want to do that for the rest of his life.

And the truth was, still having Dom as a client, having these feelings for him, they were holding Shea back from dating. From building that relationship he’d always wanted.

So at some point, painful as it was to think about, there was undoubtedly an end point to their arrangement.

Although what Shea had said to Dom the other night was true. Dom would have to be the one to end it. Shea should, probably, but he knew himself well enough to know he’d never be able to go through with it.

But when it did end, if Shea could leave Dom with a broader mind, a healthier outlook on life, and some hope for the future, that would be meaningful.

Shea would know he’d done some good in Dom’s life and that the heartache after it was over would be worth it. And—

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