The Butler - 23. Chapter XXIII

I felt surprisingly calm and relaxed, considering I just agreed on giving up my freedom. Well, okay; that was overly dramatic, I was still me and the decision to agree wasn’t made under duress or any pressure and fully mine. The world didn’t stop and Greg didn’t suddenly change into raging maniac with daddy issues, and a whip to boot.

After the toast, he calmly took a sip but his body language betrayed a subtle change. And I realized he’d held his breath.

“How do you feel?” He asked, setting his glass on the table. The hand resumed its massage on my foot and I pressed it forward a little while at the same time moving left to right. His eyes darkened. “Freeing, isn’t it? Letting go?”

I frowned but considered it and finally answered, “Yes.”

That was a very good word for it. Freeing…

It did feel as such, in a way. Odd. Giving up and at the same time still feeling...safe? He wouldn’t let anything bad happen, he’d said as much; it’d have to go through him first.

“I trust you.”

He smiled.

“Thank you.” Indicating my plate, he asked, “Have you had enough?” Signaling the waiter when I confirmed, he gave my foot a gentle nudge and I extricated it, blindly finding my shoe; thank god for loafers.

Waiting for him to finish up, we rose to go for the exit and, just to see if he’d notice, I held my hand back a bit as I walked in front of him. I smiled to myself when his pinky hooked in right away and, once outside, his hand slid into mine as we headed for the car.

**********

We got back to the inn a little after 9:45pm and headed upstairs after getting the keys. On the ride up, we had company of another couple, softly schmoozing to each other; they exited to the right for their room as we went left, wishing us goodnight.

Greg opened the door for me, once again not returning the key.

“Will I be getting that back?” I asked, nodding at his hand and snickered when he shook his head, a humorous glint in his eyes and pocketing the key.

“Nope.”

“So you’re locking me up as well?”

Pushing the door open, he gestured.

“Just get inside, will you?”

“Yes sir,” I grinned, stepping inside, only to turn surprised when the door closed behind me and no Greg. But…

Confused, I shrugged off my jacket. What the hell?

Glancing at the door repeatedly, I began to unconsciously pace. Did I do something wrong, just then? Did he expect me to go to him?

Of course! I slapped my forehead. Dumbass. He would expect me to come to him, duh!

Perhaps I should take a shower first? But that might take too long, and then he’d go all Dom on me for being late. But then again; he hadn’t given me a time. Should I just go?

Why would he deliver me to my room, if he expected me to go to his, anyway? Oh! Was I supposed to get my stuff, and...

The door opened again, startling me and in came Greg, carrying some clothes and catching me mid-pace, working myself into a state.

“What are you doing?” He asked suspiciously, letting the door fall closed behind him.

“Nothing,” I answered quickly. Too quickly, I guess.

Dropping the clothes over the back of a nearby chair, he approached and slipped an arm around me, pulling me close.

“Ahuh. Nothing? Then why do you have a very guilty look on your face?”

“Allergies?”

Softly snickering, he tapped my nose with his finger.

“Liar.” Sending him a smile I then explained my confusion. “Ahh, already missing me?”

“No? I just thought…”

“Wait... not missing me?”

Oh come on. It was less than five minutes! And then I caught on; he was being playful...

“There’s no way for me to win this one, is there?”

“Nope. But you get an A for trying to weasel your way out. It’s quite funny to watch you do that.”

I thumped his chest and turned fully, worming an arm under his and the other around him, setting my chin on his shoulder.

“I’m learning, alright?” I said softly. “I want to do this, but I need a little help.”

A squeeze of his arm came in response and I inhaled deeply. Fuck. My thoughts were a jumble. I thought this was okay, that I was ready for whatever would come.

“You’re okay,” he groaned in answer. “Oh, come on, shh. Calm down, Chris; you’re safe. I’m here, I understand. We’ll take it slow, get you into it. Nothing will happen you don’t want.”

Just standing there and actually being close; it helped, as did his reassurance. It felt good to hear him say that and not have this take off of at sixty miles a second and me standing at the crossroads, insecurely holding a stop sign.

“I get that you’re not entirely ready. And your previous experiences are working against me, I think,” he said, leaning back a little, his eyes searching mine. “It’s really okay. Calm d…”

Leaning in, I kissed him, stopping the flow of words. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to be the aggressor but I didn’t want his words right now; I wanted to just... feel.

His answer was full with the taste of him, forceful yet controlled and claiming, but it was what he did right after that showed his true feelings. He gathered me close and buried his face into my neck, deeply groaning. He was shaking, just like I was. Somewhat overwhelmed by that gesture, I raised my hand, cupping the back of his head. In return he tightened the hug, easing up a while later, his mouth traveling back via my jaw, returning to my mouth. Or so I thought. Instead he traveled down the side of my throat and lower. Rolling my head to the side, I sighed when he pushed down the collar of my shirt and I felt his tongue. And then grunted; his mouth clamped down and he bit. Not hard, just hard enough to notice his teeth but it was the subsequent hard suck that was really felt and I gasped. When he lifted his head again, he licked the spot. I could still feel it throbbing and then go cold when the air came into contact with it, as his mouth returned to my ear.

“I marked you.”

I swallowed. What the f…

“Are you completely…”

“Shh…shh,” he whispered soothingly, “it’s alright. It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

His hand came up and he lightly touched the spot where he’d marked me. It was tender but not bad. Not at all. It was more the surprise at what he’d done that made the impact. Leaning back, I sought his gaze.

“No but…why?”

“It’s strange to you. I understand. I know it’s there. No one else should know; if someone ever does…” he let his voice trail off, the meaning clear. “Tomorrow, I’ll check if it’s still there. If not, I’ll make another. Somewhere else.”

That last sounded determined but he noted my frown.

“It’s a possession thing.”

“Try a normal kiss next time. Does the same thing.”

Snickering softly he leaned back a bit..

“Okay now?”

I nodded.

“Yeah. Sorry, I just; it’s so much to take in. I thought I could handle it, and then you threw me for a loop, leaving me alone; I didn’t know which way was up then. Even when I agreed, I didn’t expect feeling this...lost..”

“My mistake; I should have told you I was going to be back shortly, just getting my clothes.”

“So you’re sleeping...here?”

He stilled.

“Chris, try to get me out of this room or your vicinity for the next three months; hopefully for the rest of my life. It’s just not going to happen, unless you ask it of me, and if you ever do, you’ll have a fight on your hands.”

God, his conviction was extremely pulling; he seemed so certain of the future.

“I know I said I won’t fight with you, but for this I will. That’s not a threat; that’s a promise.”

Softly blowing out a breath, I kept his gaze. “I might just hold you to that.”

He brought his hands up, cupping my face. “You should. I’m not going anywhere.”

He stroked my cheeks with his thumbs. “Not without World War III.”