Graham whines quietly at her words and shoves even closer. He’s fucking strong and Colton braces his leg so they don’t slide down the bench.
“I’m here for you,” Colton whispers. “If you let me help you, I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.”
Graham nods. Colton knows it’s not a real agreement. Graham is in distress and would agree to anything, but Colton doesn’t want Graham to suffer. He can help.
“Give me ten minutes to get the reading.”
She takes the monitor to a table next to a large bonding chair and leaves them alone again. He’s been so distracted by Graham and the punching bag that he didn’t realize this room had a chair made for a Dominant to hold a submissive.
“She’s gone,” he says. “I want to move us to the chair in the corner. Can you walk?”
Graham gets to his feet, releasing Colton slowly, and stumbles forward a step.
“Fuck. I’m dizzy,” he says.
Colton grabs him, drapes Graham’s arm over his shoulder, moving them both to the chair. Colton sits down but holds onto Graham’s hands, threading their fingers together as Graham stares blearily down at him.
“Across or riding?”
Graham blinks. “What?”
“I want you on my lap. We’re going to check your levels and you should be held for that.”
“Me?”
It’d be cute if it wasn’t so fucking sad. “Yeah, sweetheart. You. Please?”
Graham doesn’t answer, but he places one leg and then the other on either side of Colton’s thighs. Colton is far enough back in the large, deep chair that there’s plenty of distance between them. He’s also hard but Graham doesn’t need to feel it. Graham rests his weight on top of Colton’s thighs and leans forward, trying to hunch closer.
It makes him wonder what Graham looked like before the designation. Was he smaller? Some of the transformations he’s seen have been incredible. It’s possible Graham gained six inches and a hundred-plus pounds.
Colton strokes his back in long, soft strokes, then rubs his arms, kneading the muscles. He finds the knots and digs in.
Graham moans in pleasure and asks him to go harder. He presses hard enough that Graham whimpers into his neck, and it’s the most beautiful fucking thing he’s ever heard.
“You sound amazing,” he says, because he has to say something. He doesn’t say,You sound like you need my cockorYour noises make me want to come in you, so he figures that has to count as some restraint, at least. The way Graham is moaningand how hard Colton is working those tender areas are pretty big clues that Graham is likely a masochist.
“I can do the monitor if I can stay here on your lap.”
“Good. Of course you can stay. I want you here.”
Graham sighs. “I’m scared. Isn’t that stupid?”
“No. Of course it isn’t,” Colton says. He can’t help but press a quick kiss to the man’s temple. It’s unusual, that a man like Graham has an aversion to needles, but so what? If someone tried to make Colton eat beets, they’d see an overreaction as well. A grown man gagging over a vegetable is pathetic. Or so he’s been told.
Colton picks up the monitor, which is a small handheld device. All he needs is a single drop of blood. It’s a pinprick. But Graham is in a drop and irrational, his emotions heightened. Including fear.
Graham lifts his head from Colton’s neck, cheeks pink, lips a flat, strained line. He’s tensing up, genuinely scared.
“Look at me, baby. You’re going to do so good for me. I know you are.”
Graham bites his lip. Tears fill his eyes. He offers his index finger, shaking as he does so.
“I can see you being brave, Graham. I see you.”
Graham blinks rapidly. Tears drip down his face. Just two perfect drops. The trust and vulnerability Graham is giving to him is stunning.
Colton’s cock aches in response. “Lovely,” he says, and he grips Graham’s hand firmly, brings the monitor close. “Do you want to meet my gaze while we do this?”
