Page 59 of Love Limits

Zhong shook his head in amusement and pulled the duffle bag over their head, then slid down the zipper. He tugged on one sleeve, and Ash obediently turned around so he could pull off the rest of it.

God, did he even realize what he was doing? Ash’s internal Daddy-o-meter was pinging like crazy, and they couldn’t tell whether they were feeling cozy or excited or even aroused.

Meanwhile, Zhong turned around to hang up their coat on a hook by the door, like it was an everyday occurrence. His golden brown skin glowed in the dim lamplight and his muscles bulged and twisted over themselves as he raised his arms.

Come on, Zhong took their hand and led them to the kitchen counter where there was a generous square of focaccia waiting for them on a plate. There was a bowl of colorful roasted peppers and onions beside it.

Ash clambered up to the bar stool and Zhong sat down beside them. They piled on a few veggies and took a bite. They’d expected it to be good, but not amazing. It was fresh and toasty, clearly rewarmed in the oven, with just the right amount of oil to add flavor while keeping the texture light.

Though of course, everything Zhong made was good. They shouldn’t have been surprised.

Zhong didn’t eat, just watched Ash with evident enjoyment.

It was possibly the sweetest, most romantic moment Ash had ever experienced, swinging their legs at the counter and eating a midnight snack made just for them. Kind of the essence of Daddy-ness.

Zhong’s smile was soft and pleased. It was like there wasn’t anywhere he would rather be.

And he was still almost naked. Just the idea of touching all that smooth skin made them feel tingly everywhere. His nipples were two perfect disks and…

Ash was a terrible person who deserved to go straight to hell.

It was like the universe was dangling this perfect Daddy in front of them but he’d always be out of reach.

It made the whole friendship both beautiful and tragic at once.

Hey, Zhong waved to them. Why were you feeling sad tonight? Anything I can help with?

Dear God, if there were auditions for the role of Daddy, Zhong would win every one of them. He had that Daddy-will-make-it-better look down pat.

How much should they tell, though? It was pup night at Escape. I think I mentioned that to you? They waited for any sign of unease or disinterest from Zhong, but his expression hadn’t changed a bit. They didn’t want to overshare, especially since they weren’t sure how it might overlap with Zhong’s asexuality.

Or maybe they were just being ridiculous. Zhong loved to tease Dustin about his kinks and he’d been amazing when they slept with their paci or shared other little bits of their lifestyle. So far, his opinion on kink seemed to range from mild interest to a sort of analytical curiosity. Ash was pretty sure he wouldn’t judge.

Escape is the BDSM club you and Landon go to? Zhong finally prompted.

Yep. I mostly just go for pup night now, though. There are a bunch of us who put on masks and tails and, well, act like puppies.

That sounds like fun. It’s relaxing, right?

Kind of relaxing and energizing. Like, I have all of this energy, but my mind is completely calm. Everything I’m worried about just floats away.

That sounds nice. So why were you lonely, then? Aren’t there a bunch of pups there?

Yep. Plenty of pups and Handlers, too. I got to hang out with one couple for a bit.

The Handlers are the humans?

Ash nodded. Yeah. They take care of the pups. Feed them and give them treats and things. Some Handlers train their pets, which can be more formal and obedience-oriented or just for fun.

Do most pups have a Handler, then?

Not really. There are tons more pups than Handlers. In a lot of couples, both men are pups, actually. Like, there are Dominant pups and submissive pups and some guys who aren’t into any type of kink at all except the puppy play. Sometimes it’s silly and sometimes it can get kind of rough. But just for fun, you know? There are always a few Handlers and pups who kind of look out for the whole group, though.

I didn’t realize there was that much of a community.

Yeah. It’s a pretty big thing in the gay male kink world, even though the event is only once a month. Ash ate the last bite of their toast.

Is it weird for you being genderqueer if everyone else is male?