Make Me Soar (13 page)

Alan patted his arm. “Think about it. We can talk about this another time. Now let me show you where you’ll be sleeping.”

He got up off the rug and extended a hand to Dorian, then pulled him upward. They left the lounge, and Alan grabbed Dorian’s bag from where he’d left it before heading up the carpeted staircase. Dorian spied the bathroom through an open door, and there were three more doors leading off from the landing. Alan opened the one nearest to the bathroom and stood aside to let him enter.

It was a small room with not much in the way of furniture. There was a double bed that took up most of the room, a tall, slim wardrobe with mirrored doors, and a matching bedside cabinet. The bed was nothing but a bare mattress. There was a window, through which Dorian glimpsed trees beyond, and a slim radiator sat beneath it.

“I’ll fetch you some fresh bedding,” Alan told him. “I wasn’t expecting to have a guest, of course. The bed is comfy, however, and there’s an electric blanket in the wardrobe, which I heartily recommend you use. There are also blankets in there, and more pillows. Let me know if you need anything.” He left him standing next to the bed and disappeared, returning a moment later with sheets and a couple of pillowcases. He handed them to Dorian and then went across to the wardrobe to take out the heated blanket. Then he exited the room and came back with towels and a dark green robe that he hung on a hook on the back of the door.

Dorian patted the mattress. It was firm, just to his liking. At least he’d get a good night’s sleep. Then he shuddered, unable to repress it. He hadn’t had one of those for a while, and it would take more than a comfortable bed to change things.

Alan’s hand was at his back, firm and warm. “This can wait. There’s a fire downstairs that is crying out to be sat in front of, wouldn’t you say?” His voice was low.

Dorian nodded. Anything to get away from what was in his head at that moment. Besides, the bedroom was bloody cold. He shivered.

Alan leaned closer. “Maybe we can have that chat. And perhaps talk about our scene.”

That shiver was back, rippling through him, only this time it wasn’t because of the cold.

A
LAN
POKED
the fire and then added another log. Dorian was sitting on the couch, staring at the flames. Alan took in the way he sat, leaning forward, so still.

“Is your back hurting you?”

Dorian grimaced. “Not my back so much.” He shifted awkwardly, his brow furrowing. “Do you have any idea how long it’ll take to heal?”

Alan didn’t need to ask what he was talking about. “A couple of weeks. Just make sure you keep using the cream. It’ll help.” He sat beside him, putting some space between them.

Dorian nodded, his eyes still focused on the fire. Silence fell, broken only by the crackling of the logs and the occasional hiss. Alan let him sit quietly for a while. He was sure Dorian had plenty of things to think about. He leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the warmth flow over him.

“I still can’t believe I’m sitting here.”

Alan opened his eyes and waited.

Dorian met his gaze. “It just seems so… unreal. One minute we’re discussing what happened in Berlin. The next you’re asking me to come stay with you and do a scene. Things are moving really fast.”

“And yet you’re sitting here, so something must have said yes to you.”

Dorian looked away. “I guess you must have said something that made sense.” He gave a nervous laugh. “Though I don’t have a clue what. I’m acting on instinct here.”

Alan smiled. “Instinct is good.” He observed the way Dorian held himself, maintaining that distance between them. And he didn’t want to wait for those answers any longer. “So what weren’t you telling me about your life with your parents?”

Dorian stiffened. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Alan was having none of it. “And like I said, we need to be honest with each other. So I’d like you to answer the question.” He regarded him keenly. “Are you not close to them?”

Several long seconds passed before Dorian let out a heavy sigh. “When I was growing up, I wanted for nothing. They gave me everything a child could possibly need.”

“Are your parents well-off?”

Dorian picked at a thread that had worked its way loose from the cushion cover, his gaze not meeting Alan’s. “That would be an understatement. Both of them come from extremely wealthy families. Dad formed his own software company from scratch and sold it for millions. They made sure I went to the best private schools, associated with the right kind of people….”

Alan’s skin prickled. “What didn’t they give you, Dorian?”

Dorian finally looked at him, his expression so sad that it brought a lump to Alan’s throat.

“Love.” He swallowed. “Don’t get me wrong. They love me, in their own way.”

“And their way is to shower you with money and possessions, right?”

Dorian nodded. “They’re just not very good at showing affection. I can’t ever remember my mum hugging me, even as a little kid. Dad was the same.”

Alan gave him a speculative glance. “At the club, you never let people get close to you.”

Dorian opened his mouth, clearly about to protest, but Alan stopped him with a finger. “I don’t count you being fucked. That’s not affection. I’ve watched you, Dorian. You lose yourself and let them have you, but you don’t let them in, do you? Not even your friends.”

Dorian gave a bitter laugh. “Friends?”

A wave of sadness rolled over Alan. The emotion in that one word said so much. “Pietro is your friend. You didn’t see him at the club, worried sick about you. It’s because of him that Leo and I came out to Berlin to find you.” He moved closer, and Dorian froze. “Why do you think I did that, or Leo?” He kept his voice low and even. An idea was forming in his head, and the more he thought about it, the more he liked it.

Dorian stared at him. “I don’t know,” he whispered.

Alan stretched out his hand to touch Dorian’s cheek. There it was again, that tension in his body. Alan pulled back slowly.

Fuck, has no one ever caressed this boy?

He knew then how he wanted to proceed.

Alan straightened. “I want you to go upstairs and take a shower. When you’re done, put on the robe I left for you and come back down.”

Silence stretched out between them. Dorian’s eyes grew large. “Is… is this our scene?”

Alan nodded. “Don’t keep me waiting.”

“We’re not going to discuss it first?” Damian looked shocked. “I mean, what will we be doing?”

Alan folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not going to tell you that. You’re going to have to trust me. Now get upstairs and get in the shower.” When Dorian didn’t move, Alan gave him a firm glance. “Today, boy.” He added the faintest edge of a growl.

Dorian blinked. “Yes, Sir.” He rose to his feet and left the room, looking almost dazed.

Alan was more than happy with that reaction. He wanted Dorian off balance and in unfamiliar territory. He knew he was pushing the sub, but psychologically this was the best route to take. Dorian might have talked a little about what happened in Berlin, but in Alan’s experience, there was a lot more to come. It would help the lad to have something else to focus on, rather than the horrors lurking inside his head.

He leaned against the seat cushions and closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the shower running above. Alan smiled to himself at the thought of Dorian’s reaction. The sub didn’t have a clue what was coming, which was perfect as far as he was concerned. Judging from what he’d seen at the club during the last eighteen months, Dorian had never experienced
anything
like what he had planned.

If all went well, this scene would set the tone for any future interactions between them, so there was a lot riding on it. Alan had every intention of working out a contract between them. All his instincts were telling him that he and Dorian could be a very good fit.

D
ORIAN
PATTED
himself dry and pulled on the soft robe. He caught sight of himself in the mirror above the washbasin and stared at his paler than usual skin, his brown eyes that seemed a deeper hue than normal, due to the darkish skin around them.

What the hell am I doing?

He still couldn’t work out why he was going along with this. Then he realized that wasn’t strictly true. Where Alan was concerned, Dorian found it difficult to say no. If it had been up to Dorian, he would have locked his front door, turned off his phone, and crawled under his duvet and let the world get on without him. Except that he knew he’d have had to face up to things eventually, so maybe Alan’s way
was
better.

The sound of Alan clearing his throat downstairs brought him sharply back into the present. There was a Dom waiting for him, and for the first time in a while, Dorian had a scene. Exactly
what
they’d be doing, he didn’t have a fucking clue. His palms were clammy and his breathing was rapid at the thought of what might await him down there.

He came down the stairs, heart pounding, and entered the lounge. Alan stood in front of the fireplace, still dressed, facing him. He pointed to the couch, and Dorian sat, his back straight.

“Before we begin, what are your safewords?”

“Thunder is for stop, Sir, and Lightning is to slow down.” Suddenly his throat was dry. They were really going to do this.
But do what?
His breathing quickened when Alan lifted the coffee table out of the way and then knelt at his feet on the rug. Dorian couldn’t look away from the sight of the Dom with his wide shoulders, slim waist, and blue eyes that were fixed on him.

Alan grasped his foot and lifted it onto his thigh, letting it rest there. He gazed at Dorian, his face calm. “Are you comfortable?”

Dorian nodded, swallowing. Alan gave him a warm smile.

“Good. Then let’s begin.”

Dorian tensed, hands clenched tight as he awaited whatever was coming his way.

Then he froze in disbelief when Alan raised his foot higher, forcing him to bend his knee, and softly kissed the sole before moving his warm mouth to Dorian’s toes, where he licked across the tips.

What the fuck?

Dorian’s heartbeat raced. He didn’t know how to react. His senses were in utter confusion, warring within him. The intimacy of Alan’s touch was totally unexpected, and part of him wanted to move, to be
anywhere
but there. It was the scene with Andrew Barrett all over again.

Alan paused and straightened. “This feels strange to you.”

It wasn’t a question, but Dorian nodded anyway.

“Deal with it. I’m not about to stop.”

Dorian swallowed. Interacting with Alan like this was something he’d often thought about, but seeing the Dom up close and personal went beyond his expectations. Alan stroked his foot, and Dorian could feel the sensation caused by his light touch spreading up his leg. He gripped the seat cushions, his body rigid with tension. Alan began to move slowly up each toe with his tongue and then licked back down, moving gently. The sensation was heightened when Alan’s gaze met his as he wet his lips. Maintaining eye contact, he took Dorian’s big toe into his mouth and sucked on it gently. The unexpected action forced a low moan from Dorian’s lips. When Alan pushed his tongue between the toes, it sent a shiver down Dorian’s spine, and it was obvious that Alan had noticed. His eyes gleamed.

He broke off and grinned. “Never had anyone suck your toes before?”

“N-no, Sir,” Dorian managed to stammer, and then he gasped when Alan drew two toes into his mouth and sucked harder. Dorian had never thought of toes as being erotic, but part of his anatomy was definitely interested. His cock half filled, and his balls tingled slightly. The longer the tongue bath went on, the more aroused he became, so it was a relief when Alan withdrew Dorian’s now moist toes and softly kissed his foot, exploring it with his fingertips.

“Close your eyes, Dorian.
Feel
.”

Dorian wasn’t sure he
wanted
to feel, not that he would have said that. Nevertheless, he closed his eyes and surrendered to the myriad sensations: Alan’s touch, like that of a lover, slow and deliberate as he stroked Dorian’s calves; the feel of warm lips on his skin as Alan kissed his knees; the shudder that rippled through him when Alan untied the belt of his robe and pulled it apart, revealing Dorian’s naked body. His cock jerked, and he craved the feel of Alan’s hand on him, but Alan ignored it as he kissed the tops of Dorian’s thighs, tracing the crease where thigh met groin with his fingertips. Dorian wanted to open his eyes and watch Alan’s slow progress up his body. The muscles in his abs jumped when Alan traced them with his tongue before moving higher, laying a trail of kisses up his belly to his chest.

And it felt good. So good, Dorian didn’t want it to stop.

Alan moved to kneel between Dorian’s thighs and spread him, leaning over him to kiss his nipples. Dorian could feel Alan’s brushed cotton shirt against his skin, feel the denim jeans against his cock as Alan shifted slightly. Then Alan took hold of Dorian’s shoulders and eased him into an upright position as he slipped the robe off him. Dorian breathed faster when Alan kissed his shoulders, moving his lips over the skin to reach his neck. His cock was like stone, its tip brushing against the fabric of Alan’s shirt, and Dorian shifted, moving closer, desperate to get some friction. And still Alan made no attempt to touch it. Dorian wanted to groan in frustration.