Page 95 of Counterpoint
Fuck. “I’m not.” Not really. This was certainly not how he wanted to have this conversation, and seeing that spark of fear in Dominic again, sent ice into his own. “God, I love you so much.”
That seemed to smooth away some of those worry lines. “Then what?”
Shit. This part was so delicate. “Well, today I want to listen to your music. Watch some videos. Find out more about this other part of you. But I think I need to do that alone.”
The flicker of hurt was so hard to watch, but it vanished as Dominic sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I get that. And yeah, that’s probably better.”
Adrian cupped Dominic’s cheek, then pulled him closer. “Babe, I’m not lying when I say I love you.”
Dominic pressed his face against Adrian’s chest. “I fucking know that. I just hate leaving. I always hate leaving. At least during the week, I have shit to keep me busy.”
“Same.” He opened space between them. “How about coffee and some breakfast?”
“Pancakes?”
“Sure, pancakes. I’d cook you eggs benedict from scratch, if that’s what you wanted.”
Dominic chuckled. “Pancakes are fine.” He paused. “And some bacon.”
Adrian laughed. “Right. I will work for your stomach’s delight.” He levered himself out of bed. “But first, coffee.”
Dominic smiled, though there was sadness at the edges. “Coffee with you is the best thing in the world.”
They ended up eating pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon, and drinking copious amounts of coffee while sitting in shorts in the kitchen. Dominic squirmed a little on his chair—the same one Adrian had tied him to the night before—and that was a delight.
So was the memory of Dominic’s moans, the shudders, and the taste of his mouth. Adrian sipped his coffee and pushed those thoughts away. If he kept going down that mental path, he’d be so less likely to make good on his plans.
He needed time to himself. Time to see this other Dominic. Explore the public man. The private man? He knew that one. He’d tied him up and fed him pie.
Dominic appraised him. “You’re thinking again.”
“Yeah, I am.” He leaned over and stole a syrup-flavored kiss. “Sorry.”
A huff. “I get it, though. I do. It’s a lot—what happened. I should probably—” Dominic waved the hand that wasn’t holding a fork. “Deal with it, too.”
That Dominic wanted to—was thinking along those lines—said something. “You got anyone to talk to?”
“You mean professionally?”
Adrian nodded.
Dominic shrugged. “Nope. But I can ask around.” He laughed. “Hell, I’m sure Zav or Mish know someone. They fucking know everyone, especially Zav. He—uh.” Dominic snapped his mouth shut.
Well,thatwas interesting. So was the little creeping red of embarrassment sliding across Dominic’s cheeks. “He what?” Adrian kept his tone light.
“I don’t know how to explain Zav. He’s kinda like you—he sees things. And we’re friends. He takes good care of Ray and Ray is—shit.” He set his fork down. “God, you don’t know any of them. Ray’s my best friend.”
This was more than Dominic had ever spoken about his bandmates. “And Zavier is his husband, yes?” Jackson had said something about that.
Dominic nodded. “Anyway, I—kinda told him about you and me kneeling for you, and he wanted your name so he could check you out.”
Adrian sat up straight. “He’s kinky. In the scene.”
“I guess?” Dominic toyed with his coffee cup, his cheeks so red. “I, um. Try not to think too much about that part of their life.”
Made sense, since Ray was Dominic’s best friend. Hell, Adrian had fooled around with Jackson, but he didn’t really want to hear intimate details about his current boyfriend. “So, what did Zavier discover about me?”
Dominic’s brown eye shone. “That you’re a good man.”
