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Archer closed his eyes and groaned, making my heart hurt for him. “I need a change of clothes. Can we go back to my place first?”
“Shall I get us an Uber?”
Archer laughed, twitching his head toward Pete behind us and the waiting car outside the hospital. “Never alone. You should know that by now.”
Linking my arm through his, I steered him toward the car. “Perfect. Let’s get you some stuff and let me take care of you.”
“Oh fuck, this is such good Thai,” he groaned, stabbing the fork back into his food.
“I know, right? I’m obsessed with the place.” I took a mouthful and chewed slowly before I asked my next question. “How are you feeling about today? Was it a lot to hear your mum talking about you like that?”
He smiled, putting his food down in front of him where we’d set up a floor picnic. “I’d not seen Mum for six months before her accident. I put her in a home when her dementia got more than I could handle and I had to admit that couldn’t take care of her anymore. The guilt… it made visiting feel impossible.”
“Laura and Sophia couldn’t help take care of her?”
“It’s not their job. It’s mine,” he replied defiantly.
“Did you ask them?”
“No. I mean, I’ve taken care of them all for such a long time. It didn’t seem fair.”
“Archer!”
“What?”
“Did you hear her regrets today? Did you hear what she wanted for you? I know you didn’t get her lucid moments this morning because you were here with me, but she found a way to reach out to you. She wants you to be happy. Are you happy, Archer?”
“When I’m on stage or making music, I’m really happy. I should be blessed with the life I have.”
“But with the rest of your life?”
He shrugged.
“Eat your dinner, Archer. I have an idea.”
“Are you always this bossy?”
“Only with people who have been in control their whole lives and crave someone to take over.”
“That’s not me.” His dark eyes flared.
I let out a sigh. “I’d bet the takings from my next show that it’s exactly what you need.”
His face darkened. “I mean it, Nee, being tied up, dominated, hurt. That’s not my thing.”
I pressed my hand to his chest. “I know. I would never do that to you, but there are other options. Eat, shower, and let’s chat.”
We both showered separately and were now sitting at my dining table. My mouth watered at seeing Archer’s low hung, gray sweats and white t-shirt that clung to his muscles like a second skin. I’d slipped on a large button up flannel shirt over my panties and quickly braided my hair before pulling on some knee high fluffy socks.
I pushed a glass of white wine across the table along with a list of all the kinks I could think of that I’d written down while he was in the shower, along with a scale from zero to ten orhell, no to yes, please.
“What we talked about last night? You exploring with me… is that something you still want?”
Archer looked at me nervously. “Do you?”
I scrunched up my nose and shook my head. “Okay, we need some rules. Yes, we need a safe word, which we have, but I need more. No answering a question with a question and no putting anyone else’s needs before your own when you’re here with me. I just want to know whatyouwant. And no more apologizing. So shall we try that again? Is this still what you want?”
“Yes.”
