Christopher
“So you’re sure about this?” I leaned over and whispered to Ethan as the professor finished wrapping up the lecture.
Ethan grinned and reached over to squeeze my leg. “Pay attention.”
How was I supposed to pay attention when we were going to have sex later? Well, maybe have sex later. He’d hinted at it. Why else would he have wanted to get a hotel room? Hell, I had my stuff and more panties in my backpack ready to take to the hotel later.
“I can’t.” He’d been teasing me about it since yesterday, making casual comments about how he wanted me to be ready for our night out.
The worst part was that I had to meet his dad first.
Sadistic.
He grinned wickedly, whispering low. “If you want that cage off, then you’d better be a good boy.”
Fuck.
That had me squirming as my dick tried to get hard in the restraint. Derek had said how good the panties would feel against my dick, but so far, Ethan hadn’t given me the opportunity to find that out. The silky fabric felt incredible against my spanked ass, though, so I thought Derek would be right.
“Sit still, slut.” As Ethan whispered the words, a guy looked up from the row in front of us and gave us both a dirty look.
Had he heard Ethan’s words or was it just because we’d been disruptive in general?
Ethan’s grin widened, then he gave the disgruntled jock a wink. Turning around so fast that Ethan chuckled, the guy grunted and ignored us. Luckily, the class was dismissed, and students started filing out of the room soon after. Ethan didn’t seem like he was in a hurry as he stroked my leg, waiting for the crush of people to clear.
When the room was almost empty, Ethan grabbed his backpack and stood. Holding out his hand, he smiled. “Let’s go.”
It was time.
As I grabbed my stuff and rose to follow him, I took his hand and tried not to squirm. “We have time before we meet him.”
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to put dinner off, but it was…overwhelming. All I could think of was what it would be like when we finally went over to my parents’. It was more of a horror story than daydream.
The last time we’d talked, I’d mentioned I was seeing someone, but my mother had changed the topic and started talking about the museum benefit she was arranging. I had a feeling it would be a while before I brought Ethan home. Hell, I had a feeling it would be a while before I went home again. Ethan understood, though, and had just kissed my forehead and said his dad was going to love me.
I wasn’t so sure about that, but Ethan was convinced it would work out great. He’d even tried to drag me into his work when he’d let me borrow his car yesterday. Between the idea of meeting his co-workers and what I’d bought at the store when I’d run my errands, I’d been beyond stressed at the end of the night.
Ethan had understood, though, and hadn’t been upset when I’d backed out of meeting the guys he worked with. They’d all been peeking out of the office window like I was the new circus sideshow. Ethan had laughed and kissed me heatedly as he’d gotten out of the car. Before he’d shut the door, he’d called out to them that they were all nosy old geezers.
Squeezing my hand, Ethan gave me a tender smile. “It’s going to be fine. Besides, I want to grab dessert before we head over. The old man has a weakness for ice cream.”
“So you’re going to bribe him to like me?” Ethan laughed at my joke and grabbed me in a hug.
“I should say yes just to see what you’d say.” Then he ran his free hand over my head. “Come on, drama queen.”
I sighed and leaned into him. “Fine.” Then I pulled back and gave him a grin and dropped my voice to a whisper. “If he hates me, I get to come every day for a week before this damned cage goes on again.”
The devilish look in Ethan’s eyes said I should have said the cage wouldn’t go back on at all.
Shit.
“Deal,” he agreed entirely too quickly.
I had a feeling no matter what happened later, I was going back in the damned cage. At least it kept my hands off my cock, though. I hadn’t been punished for that since the cage had gone on last weekend.
“I should have asked for more.” Shaking my head, I followed as he led us out of the row.
Before we turned to head to the door at the back of the room, the professor spoke from behind us. “Hello, gentlemen.”
Weird.
I couldn’t remember her ever saying anything but “thank you” to me when I turned in a paper. I’d never asked questions in class just to make sure Ethan wouldn’t know I was there. Turning, I smiled. “Hello.”
Ethan always looked together and relaxed, so I wasn’t surprised when he smiled at her and nodded. “Good lecture.”
She nodded and smiled back, but it didn’t seem genuine. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have any questions…from the lecture.”
I wasn’t sure what was going on, but the way they looked at each other said there was something I was missing. Ethan slowly swung my hand and gave it a squeeze. “No, I think we’re good. Very good. But thanks.”
She nodded and looked at me, a more relaxed expression on her face. “And you?”
I shrugged but glanced over at Ethan questioningly before turning back to her. “I’m good. Thanks.”
“Good.” She gestured between us. “I’ll let you go, then.”
Weird.
As she walked away, Ethan started pulling me toward the door. I was quiet as we headed down the hall and out of the building, but once we were on the sidewalk, I glanced at him. “What was that about?”
He shrugged. “I asked her if the fantasies that were read were from people in that class. I was trying to figure out how I hadn’t seen you.”
The only thing that kept me upright when I tripped over something invisible on the sidewalk was Ethan’s fast reflexes. When I was steady, and he had a better grip on my hand, I stared at him. “Does she know?”
He blinked, looking cute and confused. “About the fantasy? Like which one was yours?”
I just nodded.
“No.” He shook his head then reached up with his free hand and ran it over my cheek. “No, I was very vague and didn’t say anything that would let her know which one was yours. There were several it could have been.”
I’d been too nervous in class to remember anything that had happened that day, so I was going to have to take his word for it. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.” Then he kissed my forehead. “And don’t forget what she teaches. I can guarantee she’s heard weirder.”
I let out a laugh. “Possibly, but let’s not test that theory.”
I was starting to get more comfortable with talking about what I liked, but the idea that one of my professors would know was…weird…and not the good kind. With someone like Derek or Hayden, it wasn’t the same thing. They got it. They saw things in their own way and it was…it wasn’t the same.
Ethan smiled and kissed me again. “Deal.”
As we started walking toward the car, or at least the direction I was pretty sure the car was in, I started to regret not having a complete meltdown about the professor knowing. That might have gotten me out of dinner and earned me an orgasm faster.
I’d remember next time and wouldn’t even feel guilty. Ethan was the one that called me his drama queen.
****
Sean Walsh was even bigger and tougher looking than his son. He was also just as nice too. It was odd.
Dinner with Ethan’s father was nothing like dinner with my family would have been. There were no strained silences and no awkward questions; they just teased each other and acted like Ethan bringing me home was nothing special.
Maybe that wasn’t the way to phrase it. Sean clearly understood Ethan was serious about us and he seemed happy to have me over. It just wasn’t strange for him. His son had brought a guy home, and it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
My mother hadn’t even wanted me to talk about Ethan.
“He’s very quiet.” Sean’s laughing eyes were trained on Ethan, but he gestured toward me with his fork.
“Count your blessings, old man.” Ethan reached under the table and squeezed my thigh. “He could be asking for all kinds of crazy stories about you. You should be grateful.”
I swallowed and tried to look friendlier. “Stories?”
So maybe I’d been too quiet, but in my defense, I wasn’t sure what to say. That was pretty normal for me. Ethan and I had been living together for a week before I’d said more than a sentence to him. I wanted Sean to like me, but had no idea how to get to that point.
Ethan should have worked us up to this. Saying hi when I dropped him off at work would have been a better start than dinner.
Ethan seemed to understand, because he smiled knowingly and turned back to his dad. “Pop over here is evidently looking at dating ’em young. A cute little blonde came in to the shop calling him Daddy the other day.”
Sean groaned. “Of course, that’s the story you pick to tell. Not what a great parent I was or how I’m such a successful businessman I have ten garages and we’re looking to expand again. No, you tell him I’m dating kids.”
Ethan laughed and turned to me. “She’s legal. She just likes older men, evidently.”
Smiling, I shrugged. “People are very open-minded these days.”
Sean groaned again, shaking his fork at me. “Don’t you start too. He doesn’t need any encouragement.”
I wanted to grin even bigger. If he was teasing me too, then it couldn’t be going that bad. I shrugged. “You don’t have to hide it from Ethan. I know he’d understand.”
I knew firsthand how understanding his son was. Not that I was going to tell Sean that.
Ethan loved it. “See, Pop, you can be open with us. When are you going to introduce me to my new stepmom? Wait, if she calls you Daddy does that make her my stepsister instead?”
Sean started coughing and turning a frightening shade of red. I wasn’t sure if we should be worried or not, but Ethan didn’t seem concerned. “Dying won’t get you out of this discussion, Pop.”
It took him several long moments to catch his breath while he sent death glares at Ethan. When he could finally talk, I tried not to smile. “Stop calling me that—and if you do something to encourage her, I’ll kill you in your sleep. I know people.”
Ethan didn’t seem worried about his health. “Suuure…Pop.”
Turning to me, Ethan grinned. “If my body turns up buried in a construction site, remember this discussion. He says he’s open-minded when he hires, but evidently, that just means he’s hiring hit men.” Giving his father a side glance, he continued his teasing. “I just thought that meant he hired people regardless of their orientation or gender identity.”
“Labels don’t matter, but you’ll end up at the bottom of a five-story apartment building if I have to hide from that little blonde.” Sean was swinging his fork around again in a way that made me want to duck. I’d had a roommate freshman year that talked with his hands and shit had always gone flying across the room. I’d ducked more living with him than I had when my dad tried to put me in baseball.
Ethan laughed and reached out to grab another roll. “All right, all right, no blondes with daddy issues.”
Sean rolled his eyes. “Thank you.”
They were very…interesting.
It gave me a better idea about how Ethan had turned out so accepting and completely unfazed about what I’d wanted in a relationship.
Ethan grinned. “How about a brunette? That’s the issue, isn’t it?”
Sean shook his head like he was frustrated, but then gave Ethan a matching wicked grin. “You keep it up and I’m going to ask how you and your new boyfriend over here went from barely knowing each other to meeting the family so quickly.”
I had a feeling my face was as red as Sean’s had been a few minutes ago. Ethan laughed and shrugged. “I think it’s a fabulous story; see, he—”
“No.”
“No.”
Sean and I both cut him off at the same time. I reached over and slugged his arm. “I’ll help him kill you in your sleep if you finish that sentence.”
Ethan was nearly rolling on the floor laughing. When he caught his breath, he gestured between his father and me. “See, you have stuff in common already.”
Sean gave me a dry expression. “You think we could hide the body well enough that no one would figure it out?”
I nodded. “I know a guy with a cabin a few hours from here. It’s in the middle of nowhere.”
Sean tried not to smile, but I could see it trying to break through. “I think that could work.” Then he reached over and gave my shoulder a pat. “I like a guy who can think on his feet.”
Warmth flooded through me. Trying not to act stupid, I just smiled and shrugged, forcing the flood of emotions back down. “If you need to hide a body, I’m your guy. But fair warning, you’ve got to do the heavy lifting.”
I wasn’t lugging a dead body through the woods.
Sean and Ethan started cracking up. Ethan reached over and squeezed his dad’s shoulder. “I told you that you’d like him.”
Sean nodded and gave me a grin, but I could see he didn’t get how important that moment was for me. Ethan would understand. I saw it in his eyes as he looked at me, but I was glad he didn’t say anything. It was one thing for him to understand what a sap I was, but it was another for his dad to see it.
Ethan didn’t need me to be strong or hide anything. He liked me just the way I was.