Page 41 of Counterpoint
The face that reflected back looked a combination of happy and sleepy and scared, but none the worse for wear. Adrian face-fucking him with a vengeance hadn’t left him looking any different.
Though he couldn’t say the same for the rest of his body. The ink hid a lot of it, but there were bruises on his hips and shoulders from hands and teeth, and Adrian’s hot-as-fuck mouth.
Sparks ran up his back and he wiped his face with his hand.Down, boy.Yeah, he wanted another round, but he needed to know where they stood—what Adrian thought—and where this was going.
It wasn’t casual. It wasn’t a fling. It was beyond a one-night stand. Butwhatwas it?
And what could he let it be? Dom glanced at his hair. Once more, it was more or less a judicious glob of super-hold hair gel shy of being Domino’s unruly locks. He flattened that shit down as best he could. Last thing he needed was the rock star looking back at him.
He’d planned on heading down to the kitchen, but gentle clicking drew him to a room on the same floor, one down the hall and next to the door that led to that exquisite library. Inside a room of blues and browns, with light streaming in from the window, sat Adrian in a leather desk chair, naked but for boxers, a pen in his mouth and papers—bills—spread out on his desk.
Dom held his breath and watched because this—this moment was Adrian Doran. Truly him. Something he probably did every weekend. And god, was he gorgeous like this, too. Brow furrowed, lips twitching around the pen that bobbed up and down. His chestnut hair flopped in every direction, redder in the morning light, and his pale skin was lightly freckled on his shoulders, a detail Dom hadn’t noticed before, despite two nights with the man.
Muscles moved as Adrian typed in numbers and clicked the mouse. Damn, those arms. The ones that had held him down and also held him sweetly. Dom exhaled, then whispered, “Adrian.”
The pen fell from Adrian’s mouth and he jumped a bit, but when he turned, his whole being seemed to light up. “Dominic.”
The deep rumble in that voice made Dom’s knees weak, and he leaned on the doorframe, smiling back. “I smelled coffee.”
Adrian bent to retrieve his pen from the floor, then righted himself. “I made a pot. It’s down in the kitchen. I’d have cooked breakfast, too, but I didn’t know how long you’d sleep.”
“Right. You said you cooked.” And as if on cue, Dom’s stomach growled.
Laughter from the other man, and the sound was magic and as bright as the sunlight burnishing that auburn hair. “Well, I think someone likes the idea of food, so let’s feed that stomach of yours, shall we?”
Adrian stood, and every part of Dom wanted to kneel down before him. “Wow.”
“Wow?” Amusement and confusion in that one word.
“You—do things to me.” Dom clutched the doorframe. “My mind goes all kinds of places when I see you.”
“And where did your mind go now?” Adrian tilted his head, but didn’t move any closer.
Should he actually tell the truth? That seemed—dangerous. But also the right thing. “The floor.” He met Adrian’s stare. “I wanted to kneel for you again.” He shook his head. “I don’t know why.”
Adrian let out a small breath, and his fingers twitched. “If you’d like, you can do that. Come here and kneel for a moment.”
That same strange buzz of headiness that had engulfed him last night rose and filled his head. “You don’t mind?”
“Oh, Dominic.” Soft, velvet voice. So full of emotions. “No, no, I don’t mind at all.” He held out his hand.
But rather than take it, Dom crossed the room, fell to his knees, and wrapped his arms around Adrian’s legs. Calm enveloped him. Joy. Things he didn’t understand. He wasn’t hard, wasn’t in a state of lust. Hell, he hadn’t even had coffee yet.
A touch on his head, fingers caressing, smoothing his hair. “What is it you want?”
“I have no fucking clue.” He pressed his cheek against Adrian’s thigh. “I don’t even know what I’m doing.”
Adrian made a strangled sound. A laugh? A sigh? Dom pressed his forehead against skin and breathed in the decadent smell of Adrian. “I know I sound foolish.”
“No, you don’t. Not at all.” Fingers tipped his chin up until he met Adrian’s downward gaze. “You’re a highly intelligent man. You’ve just found yourself somewhere unexpected.”
In Adrian’s office, kneeling before him because he desperately wanted to. “This isn’t like me,” he murmured.
“Maybe it is.” Adrian stroked his cheek. “I did want to talk to you about this today—about you and me and what you want—but I do think you need some coffee and food in that belly of yours.”
Yeah, that sounded good. “Do you know what I really want?” He gave Adrian’s legs another hug.
“I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.” Dom heard the smile in those words. Didn’t even have to look up.
