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When they reached the base of the steps, Joey seemed to relax. Not completely, but enough for their hands to loosen their steel grip on each other. They didn’t let go completely. Ethan led Joey to where the taxis usually waited for customers coming from the pubs. It didn’t take long to find one or get home, and once they were locked inside his house, Ethan stopped in front of Joey.
“How are you?”
“Feeling stupid.”
Ethan cupped his jaw. “Never feel stupid about that. Panic attacks happen. It’s not my first rodeo.”
Joey turned away, rubbing a hand over his face and head, leaving his arms over his head for a long moment. Just as suddenly, he turned back. “It’s mine.”
Ethan frowned. “What’s yours?” he said, having lost track of the conversation.
“I’ve never had a panic attack before.”
“Not everyone does. And some people go all their lives having them every day.” He moved closer. “Whatever you’re dealing with, Joey, there’s someone who can help. I promise you.” Joey stared at him, but Ethan knew his answer. He could see it in his eyes. He wasn’t ready yet. Ethan held out his hand. “Let’s go to bed.”
Ethan spent a long time undressing Joey, showering him with affection as best he knew how, and when they settled into bed with Ethan as the big spoon for once, his heart broke all over again for the man he barely knew. How long would Joey stay around before his demons caught up with him? How long did Ethan have to hold him? Those types of questions kept Ethan awake most of the night, watching over Joey as he restlessly tossed and turned.
When Joey finally roused around five o’clock in the morning, Ethan was exhausted, but he was happy that Joey’s eyes were a little clearer.
“Morning,” he said.
“Hey,” Joey rumbled in his sleep-drenched voice, rolling closer to Ethan. He rested his head on Ethan’s pillow so they were only inches apart. “Thank you for yesterday.”
“No problem.” As he looked into Joey’s slate-coloured eyes, he was again reminded of how much he didn’t know about him. And how much he didn’t care that he didn’t know much about him. He should care. He should worry about having a complete stranger in his house. He should be concerned about introducing him to his friends and family.
But he didn’t.
There was something about the connection between him and Joey that he couldn’t explain, but he didn’t want to lose it. He didn’t want to push the man away and lose what they could have. What he was beginning to believe was their potential. Yes, Joey lived in London and had a business there. It wasn’t like he could leave it behind… Only he had done, hadn’t he? At this moment, his business was still running from what Ethan believed, and yet Joey was here. Could they figure out a way to make a relationship work between them? Would Ethan be willing to leave everything behind if they made a go of a relationship?
He wasn’t sure, and that, more than anything else, kept him from announcing what thoughts were running rampant through his brain.
“Fancy watching a movie in bed? I don’t have to be at work until later today?” he asked instead.
Joey lifted up and reached across to the drawer in the bedside table. The drawer slid open, and Joey grabbed something, but Ethan was too busy staring at his chest, which was warm and covered with some amazing ink. He still hadn’t the chance to trace every line with his tongue.
And he wouldn’t that day either if those handcuffs were any clue to Joey’s plans.
“How about we do something else first?”
Ethan slid his arms up Joey’s arms to his shoulders, then let go and laid them on the pillow above him.
“I’m sure the movie will be there when we’re done.”
Joey clicked his tongue. “I don’t know. This may take a while.”
He straddled Ethan’s chest, bringing his impressively erect cock to the forefront of Ethan’s vision and attention. His mouth watered, but he couldn’t do anything until Joey said he could. He also couldn’t keep his eyes away from that magnificent dick.
The cool leather wrapped around Ethan’s wrists as Joey fastened the cuffs. When he finished, he slid the key into Ethan’s hand.
“Hold tight to that.”
Ethan gaped. “You can put it on the bedside table. I might let go and lose it.”
Joey stared at him with a look that both set fire to his groin and had him curling into a figurative submissive ball.
“Yes, sir.” He tightened his hold around the key. He had a spare, but he couldn’t remember if it was in the bedside drawer or not.
“Open.”
