Deviations: Submission (31 page)

If you decide not to, that's okay too, as long as we find a way to deal with this."

"We'll find a way," Noah assured him. "So uh, anyway, yeah, I write in my journal when the needs strikes me, except for Tuesdays I always write."

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"Okay," Tobias said with a soft laugh. "Dropping it for now.

And I really am glad you're doing this, pet-it's working for you, and that's important."

"I think it is, and will be," Noah agreed. "So, what do you do besides Dom and stick your arm up cows?"

"Stick my arm up horses. Seriously, colic isn't something to fool around with. And then there's the sheep and the pigs and..."

"I get it, I get it," Noah snorted. "I meant at night, in the city. Like tonight, if you hadn't called me. What do you do?"

"Oh, that!" Tobias laughed. "I read a lot. I do paperwork. I listen to music sometimes and look at the city lights. I dine out, I watch the occasional film, and I meet up with friends once in a while. Really, it's pretty boring. Oh, and I spend a lot of time planning what to do to you."

"Do you have a lot of friends in the city? Do they know that you spend so much time thinking about what you're going to do to your boy on the weekend? Do you tell them about me?" Noah's tone was coy.

"Brat." Tobias paused for a long moment, trying not to laugh. "Several, possibly, and not yet. How's that?"

"Disappointing, sir, but I suppose you're not going to give me more detail, are you?"

"Not at all. Now, I understand you're up past your bedtime?"

"If I'm on the phone with you then it's only my bedtime if you say so, sir." Tobias couldn't quite tell whether Noah's answer was sarcastic.

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"I suppose you're right. So what do you have left to do before you go to bed, boy?"

"Well, finish my journal entry, though that I might do over breakfast. Brush my teeth, shower, watch the local news ...

oh, see if the stew is cool and put it in the freezer."

Tobias looked at his watch and realized he was squinting in the dim light. Frowning, he pressed the light button on the side and tsked. "Well, then. It's about that time, isn't it? The news is going to be on in fifteen minutes, so I'll send you off now-and Noah?"

"Yes, sir?" Noah answered automatically.

"If you're good, next time I'll see if I can talk you into coming."

"I'd like that, sir," Noah breathed into the phone.

"Hopefully you'll let me return the favor."

"You're welcome to earn the privilege of trying." Tobias grinned and stood up, stretching. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight, sir. It was good to talk to you." Dutifully, Noah waited and did not hang up first.

"You, too," Tobias chuckled. "You, too." Gently, he hung up the phone and set it down. The apartment was still and quiet, the dark warm and comfortable. Smiling, Tobias stood at his window and looked at the lights of the city, still trying to find his boy in the maze of streets and knowing it didn't matter. Noah was right where he belonged-tied to him.

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Chapter 27

Tobias thought it was really very cute the way Noah had been so protective of the dish he'd brought with him. He'd greeted Tobias with all due attention, of course, but he was obviously worried about supper, so Tobias sent him off with a barely hidden grin. Noah looked like he was trying not to rush into the kitchen, but failing to be casual; his rueful grin said he was well aware of the fact.

The lamb stew was wonderful, and Tobias made a point of saying so as soon as he'd tasted it. "Very nice, pet. It's easy to overdo the broth-add too much liquid, or leave too much fat, but you've really done well." He smiled and speared a piece of lamb, which flaked nicely-tender but not falling apart.

"It's good. Is that winter or summer savory?"

Noah visibly relaxed and picked up his own fork to try it himself. "Summer savory, sir. And I used a little more rosemary than usual, but Allison said the amount of garlic should—"

"It's wonderful," Tobias insisted with a smile.

Noah's nervous chatter dried up and he smiled a little. "I'm glad you like it."

"I do."

They ate quietly for a time, Noah picking at his food as usual and Tobias savoring every bite. Noah finally seemed reassured that Tobias was pleased, and Tobias nodded to himself. "Phantom called me Wednesday," he said quietly.

Noah set his water glass down on the table gently, and his hands fell into his lap. "Did he?" Noah answered neutrally.

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"Of course," Tobias said easily. "Bradford had called him for you, and Phan wanted my permission to meet with you.

Which I gave."

Noah sighed. "I know you said to call you, sir, but I had hoped to do this on my own."

"I know, but unfortunately there's another dynamic at play. Phan simply wouldn't have agreed until he knew that I was aware and approved-he won't interfere with our relationship, Noah. If he'd agreed and found out later that I hadn't approved or hadn't been comfortable with it, he'd have seen that as a betrayal. If it helps, he didn't call me after he'd spoken with you."

Noah shrugged. "We're meeting for dinner on Monday."

Tobias nodded. "That's good. Were you going to tell me on your own?"

"Yes," Noah said. "At some point, probably afterwards."

Tobias smirked. "Which would have been a very bad idea, pet. Can you tell me why?"

"No, sir, I don't know why." Noah seemed genuinely confused. "I had your permission to talk to him; I was hoping to be able to come to you and tell you I'd worked everything out. I thought that would please you."

Tobias nodded. "That makes sense and I see why you think that. I do. But primarily I want to be involved in you reaching for your limits-and Phantom, my relationship with him, is something you're really working against. If I'm to help you I need to know what's going on. As your Dom I am involved. Also-on Sunday nights I ask for your plans for the week. If you wished to hide this from me you'd have to tell 283

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me something. I'm going to assume you weren't planning to lie."

"I wasn't going to lie!" Noah protested, but he bit his lip and rubbed his face, looking frustrated. "I wasn't going to lie.

I hadn't even thought about that. I suppose I ... I don't know what I would have done."

Tobias picked up his water glass and sipped it thoughtfully.

"I know you weren't, pet. And I understand why you wanted to do this on your own-I really do. But you have to understand something important about this, sweetheart. You don't get to do this on your own. Not from a desire to please me, not for any reason. Because you're my submissive. You are obligated to give up a certain amount of control to me-pretty much all your control, in fact. Outside of working hours you're mine, and it's my obligation to help you. It's hard to get, but it's a step to true submission."

Noah went quiet. He played with the edge of his plate for a bit, tapped the side of his water glass thoughtfully, all the while looking exceedingly unhappy. "I'm going to constantly fuck this up, aren't I?" he said, mostly to himself. "You're right, of course. I'm sorry, sir."

"No." Tobias put his glass down a little harder than he'd intended, startling them both. "You are not fucking up. You're learning, you're trying and you're doing everything you can to please me-that isn't fucking up by any definition. It's a process. Understood?"

Noah eyes widened. He sat up, squared his shoulders, and blinked a couple of times before answering, "Understood, sir."

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"Good. Now, I think we'll reinforce the lesson later on-but not with the crop. I don't think this is a punishment offense as you truly didn't understand. It needs something, however."

Tobias tilted his head and considered Noah carefully for a moment. With a smile and a slight stirring in his groin he said, "A spanking, I think. With you over my knees. Yes, that'll do."

Noah kept a careful check on his posture, but he blushed a little and he couldn't quite hide his embarrassed grin. "Thank you, sir."

* * * *

Hopefully Noah learned his lesson without ever knowing that Tobias had been looking forward to the paddling since he'd hung up the phone with Phan. Tobias had gotten everything he wanted out of it, too. As spankings go, it had been fairly heavy, and Noah's ass had blushed a beautiful crimson. Noah had been grateful when Tobias fed him his erection and so enthusiastic about it that Tobias was unable to hold out very long. Afterwards, Tobias doctored Noah a bit and put him to bed on his pallet, on his stomach.

Noah had been a bit stiff this morning, but it was nothing that a little moisturizer couldn't soothe. He'd even managed a decently long ride after morning chores, only wincing when they dismounted near the barn. Tobias pretended not to notice and made his way back to the house to clean up, leaving Noah to hang their tack and groom their mounts before finally turning them out.

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Tobias had popped his head into the bathroom while Noah was showering to ask that he meet him in the safe room after but otherwise had left him alone. In the safe room, Tobias fondled some of the costumes in his wardrobe trying to guess what Noah might have dreamed up for them to play.

"All clean, sir," Noah said with a smile as he joined Tobias, naked and freshly shaved and still warm from his shower.

"You are indeed." Tobias looked him over, from damp top to still-pink bottom. "Not a bit of dirt anywhere, pet." He held out a hand and grinned. "Come sit with me and tell me your story, boy."

Noah took Tobias' hand and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, sighing in relief. "Ah, soft," he said, grinning.

Tobias laughed. "Poor little pup. You'll live."

"Oh, it's good. I'm fine, sir," Noah said in return, laughing softly. "So, my story starts with a desperate thief, imprisoned and sentenced to death for stealing a bauble from the king-a brooch or a ring, something the king could buy a dozen of without thinking about it, but the value of which could, by itself, feed and clothe the thief's family through the winter."

"Poor innocent thief," Tobias teased. "Chained to a wall, perhaps, and dressed in rags?"

"Oh, shackled, manacles, the whole bit," Noah tried to sound sorry for the poor thief, but Tobias wasn't buying it.

"So, of course he's asked time and time again for an audience with the king in order to explain his actions and beg for his life-he's willing to endure lashes, of course, if that will please the king-but he has had no answer to his pleas. Until," Noah grinned, "until a duke, counsel or friend to the king, who has 286

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heard of his plight, comes to see him in his cell to discuss possible terms under which his life might be spared."

"Oh, I see. Find out what the thief has to offer along with his sincere apologies?" Tobias winked. "That could be illuminating. I think we can work with this, pet. Would you like to select the costumes?"

"Oh, no, sir, you had best do that." Noah was grinning again.

"You think I know what a Duke wears?" Tobias shook his head and got up. "Careful, or you'll be wearing nothing but a cock cage next weekend." He winked to take the threat out of his words and crossed to the open wardrobe again. "Silks and satins, and I am not wearing tights. Don't even think it."

"You see, this is why you should pick out the costumes, sir, I would certainly have put you in tights," Noah said with a laugh.

"The cage is looking better, boy." Tobias growled for effect, pretending not to notice as Noah's grin grew. "All right.

Velvet trousers, silk shirt. I think there's a waistcoat in here that will do ... what do you suggest for a coat?"

Noah slipped off the bed and helped thumb through the hangers. "Well, it really doesn't matter too much since the duke won't be wearing it long, but..." He pulled out a long tailored overcoat. "This could work, sir."

"Oh, very nice. Yes, I agree, that'll do." Tobias added the overcoat to the pile he'd gathered and stepped back. "Now, you ... you need a loose tunic. Artfully smudged. What else?"

"Have pants that tie at the waist?" Noah searched through the armoire. "Or just something soft? Otherwise, I'm thinking 287

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barefoot, and I'll muss the hair, or as mussed as it gets anyway."

"Too short to be really messy," Tobias agreed. "Oh, I think there's loose pants in there with a drawstring-cotton, so not really correct, but they'll do. Anything else you can think of?"

Noah tugged the pants off their hanger. "These will work, and yeah, what does one call a duke? 'Your Excellency'? 'My Lord'? I can't remember." Noah tugged the pants on and cinched them at the waist with a drawstring.

"Your Grace," Tobias said absently. "You know, I much prefer you naked."

"I prefer me naked than wearing these things, too, sir.

Maybe you should tell the duke to be quick about it." He chuckled, pulling a plain, nondescript tunic over his head.

"I'll do that," Tobias promised. He looked at the clothes in his arms and grinned. "I'll change over there, I think. After I chain you to the wall, you lucky thief."

"Too bad I can't manage the chains myself, sir," Noah said, running his fingers through the short hair on the top of his head. "Ready when you are."

Tobias snorted. "It looks the same. And really-I don't mind chaining you up, boy. Think of it as another way to please me." He grinned broadly and dumped his armload of clothes into Noah's arms. "Don't drop them in the mud," he advised cheerfully as he left the room.

"What? And ruin my only chance at avoiding the death penalty? Are you nuts?"