Page 62 of Jackson
Yeah, Henry was right about that. His workplace was a real gossip mill. Jackson didn’t know what to say, but the lawyer continued.
“Paula got scared by the lifestyle?”
“I don’t know. Could be the BDSM, could be me or could be relationships in general. She told me at the beginning she didn’t do relationships. Preferred one-night stands over commitment,” Jackson answered.
Henry hummed and tapped his bottom lip. “Is that what she said? Because from where I stand it looked like she was blossoming under your wing.”
“Permission, Master?” Lincoln’s question surprised Jackson, and he caught a raised eyebrow from Henry.
Henry looked down on his slave with tenderness. “You have some insights for us?” He tugged on the leash. “Permission granted. Take a seat, Lincoln.”
The man rose to his feet and, after accepting a towel from Scott, perched his naked butt on a vacant barstool. If Lincoln found it strange or uncomfortable to have a serious conversation in his birthday suit, he didn’t show it.
“Paula’s reputation in the police department is cool, competent, and laser-focused on the job. She’s someone who won’t let anyone or anything get between her and what she wants. Many of the men are convinced she’s gay because she won’t date any of them. Maybe she doesn’t want a relationship, but I’m certain it’s what she needs,” Lincoln said.
Henry was nodding, and evidently he, too, agreed with Lincoln’s assessment.
“Of course, there’s also the age difference.” Lincoln glanced over to Henry, and one corner of his mouth pulled up in a rueful smile before he returned his attention to Jackson. “I had a bit of a problem with that myself, you know?”
“No, I didn’t,” Jackson replied. “You and Henry were already a couple when I joined the club.”
“That’s right.” Lincoln nodded. “Henry and I met in an official capacity, one could say.”
Henry laughed. “Lincoln freed me from metal police handcuffs, and I thanked him by cuffing him with leather instead.”
“Sounds intriguing.” Jackson perked up.
Lincoln didn’t need any prompting. “As a criminal defense lawyer, I was called to defend a young guy who had been arrested after a protest got out of hand. There was a white power march, and my Master here was part of the counter group. His parents called my firm to represent him. The police had him in an interrogation room, and I walked in, expecting a troublemaker.”
“Oh boy, if you’d known half the trouble you’d be in,” Henry interjected with a cocky grin.
Lincoln flashed him a smile. “So, I walked into this bare room, with this hideous olive drab paint on the walls, and a metal table and chairs bolted to the floor, and in one of those chairs, sat the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen.” Lincoln blew out a low whistle. “I had to lower my briefcase to hide the instant boner I had. Of course, at that moment, I thought Henry was too young for me, and for all I knew, he could be straight. Anyhow, I suffered through the interview with a painful hard-on, and I’m still amazed that my brains had enough blood flow to function.”
“How did the case end?” Jackson asked.
“Since nobody was seriously injured, and the white supremacists caused all the damage, we counter-protesters got off with a warning,” Henry answered. “That made it easier to pursue a relationship with a very reluctant Lincoln.”
“How so?” Could this information help him with his relationship with Paula?
Again, Lincoln answered. “As you know I’m a dozen years older than Henry. It felt wrong, and society frowns on May-December relationships, especially when the dominant partner is the younger one.”
Jackson frowned but nodded. “I know, but I don’t agree, because age has nothing to do with love.”
“True, but our society isn’t as tolerant. We had our age differenceandus being gay. Of course, the whole BDSM element held a strong appeal to me, but I was ashamed of it.”
“Why?” Jackson didn’t understand. From the moment he’d learned about the lifestyle, he’d taken to it like Eowyn of Rohan took to the sword.
“Mostly preconceptions, I think. Some real fear for what I was getting into and the concern I was in over my head. I also had the problem of separating my love for Henry and my wish to pursue the lifestyle.”
“Were you in a Master–slave dynamic right away?” Jackson asked.
“No, oh no, we started simply. Spiced things up in the bedroom, you know.”
“Do you think it was wrong to try a Master–slave-contract with Paula? Should I have courted her vanilla-style and eased her into BDSM?”
Henry answered, “I don’t think a vanilla relationship would suit your needs, and I’m fairly certain it wouldn’t suit Paula either. I think you need to talk to her and find out where she stands. I saw her watching you at Josh’s adoption party. The woman isn’t over you.”
On that note Henry tugged the leash, which elicited a groan from Lincoln, since it was attached to a silver cock ring.
