Settling Down (2 page)

“There you go, baby. Done straining your brain, or should I drop another box on your face?”

The playful light in Jae’s eyes was enough to call to Tim’s more base instincts. He nearly purred as he sat up to meet Jae’s lips. “I can table this subject for later.”

All thoughts of balls, bags, and boxes were soon forgotten. He missed his Sir so very much.

THE PHONE
rang the moment Jae stepped out of the offices of Transnational Solutions, Inc. Perfect timing. It was around Tim’s lunchtime. It could be an invite.

That hope died when he looked at the ID.

“Mom, hey.” Jae found a seat in the office lounge and sat down. Damn, those things were not made for comfort. Could buy one of these for his office—sit his pet on one of them as punishment.

The lounge had other suited folks around, so he switched to Korean. “What’s going on? How’s Dad?”

“
Ahdeu.
” Her voice had the hint of a warning, and Jae racked his brain to figure out what he’d forgotten. No, it wasn’t anyone’s birthday coming up. Holidays? Cousins visiting?

Visit?

Shit.

“Oh, right, I forgot. It’s been a pretty busy couple of months with, you know, work.” And Tim. Mostly Tim. “When do you want to come over? You can meet my boyfriend.”

One of the most constant things about his life, and he forgot it was his folks’ turn to come over for a weekend. Oh, this was going to be interesting. Jae didn’t share details about his sex life with them, didn’t put it in their faces, but they knew there was something odd about his tastes, and not because he was gay. They came to peace years ago with the fact that the only grandchildren they would have would be adopted.

Jae’s mind started to wander for a moment. Tim would be the perfect host. He loved taking care of people, and his charm was infectious. This would be fine.

“Next week. Jonghyun needs to arrange things with his assistant chefs. He’s got them so trained that they’ll handle things on short notice.”

“Of course, don’t need the restaurant to burn to the ground while he’s gone. Okay, we’ll get the guest room set up by then.”

“We.” She paused, then said with a suspicious tone, “You never mentioned that your Tim lived with you.”

“No, no, he doesn’t. But with his hours, he likes to come over on his off days. Weekends are pretty busy for him, though. But I’ll see if he can arrange some time to at least come to dinner. Sound good?”

No details about what sort of shop Tim ran either. It was Tim’s to admit. Would it really be so strange to have Tim living with him? It had been only six months. Too soon? They were just feeling things out.

But it was difficult to be a decent Head of the Household when your pet was gone five days a week.

As his mother moved on to share family gossip, Jae made it a point to at least ask Tim about it. Then he focused on the sound of his mother’s voice. It was always nice to hear from her, to hear about relatives he’d only seen in visits to South Korea, scattered from Seoul to Yeongam Gurim.

By the time they hung up, it was past time for Tim’s lunch hour, and Jae wanted to share the news sooner than later, so it was time for a visit to Little Earthquakes.

THE BELLS
above the door of the shop rang, and Gloria’s voice, muffled by a closed door, was as warm and welcoming as usual.

Good, because Tim was having doubts he’d ever smile again.

The woman in front of him looked pleasant enough, if a bit overdressed in a blue pantsuit. It contrasted weirdly with the jeans and button-down that was pretty much Tim’s work uniform, and clashed like mad with Gloria’s less formal low-cut T-shirt, jean shorts, and tights.

But that was when everything stopped being pleasant. He noticed the arch of an eyebrow when he introduced Ms. Anderson to Gloria, and that was already points off.

More points for being surprised the owner of the shop was a man.

“And women trust you with their needs?” she actually asked.

“Why not?” Tim replied flippantly, that smile dying. “My ears work just as well, and if they’re uncomfortable with me, they can consult with Gloria.”

“Gloria.” Ms. Anderson looked at the closed door.

“Is there a problem?” Oh, Tim was heading to frown town quickly.

“I couldn’t help but notice.” She motioned to her neck. “Is that why you’re hiring? Having a real woman about?”

And just like that, all points were not only deducted, but Tim had plans to burn the application and résumé out in the alley for extra measure to cleanse the space of such evil juju. “Let’s get one thing perfectly clear. Gloria
is
a woman. She hasn’t been anything else.”

Ms. Anderson looked dubious. “Not with that necklace around her neck. I understand that this place is supposed to be accepting, but you can’t possibly expect women to take sex advice from someone who has never had a vagina.”

Right, the silver trans pendant. Tim got that for Gloria for her birthday a year ago.

“Ms. Anderson.” Tim closed the folder containing the application and walked to the door, opening it. “Look, I don’t think you will be a good fit for us. Thank you for stopping by.”

There was so much he wanted to berate the woman about, perhaps with a loud voice and swearing, all ending in “Get the fuck out, you phobic piece of shit.” But he was a gentleman and would give her a chance to leave with some dignity intact.

Also he didn’t want to scare any customers inside.

Ms. Anderson seemed to get the hint, getting up and tugging her suit straight. “That’s all? Well, I intend to inform everyone in my reading group that this place is run by a woman-hating gay man and a deluded cross-dresser.”

Oh, that was it. “If your reading group is as ignorant as you are, ma’am, then I would not want them in my shop in the first place. Good day.”

He followed the woman with his gaze as she marched from the back office to the door, and didn’t stop staring until the bell rang, signifying that she had gone.

It was then he realized he had an audience. Gloria was staring at him from the counter. So was Jae, from the other side.

Gloria whistled. “I’ve heard of the term ‘butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth,’ but I never thought I’d see it. Damn. What was her malfunction?”

Tim sighed and headed to the counter. Seeing Jae was both a surprise and a relief. He couldn’t go full pet while on the job, but standing at his side, receiving a kiss on his forehead, was grounding. “You were her malfunction. Fucking cissexist.”

Gloria rolled her eyes. “Oh please, let me guess: she thinks I’m a man? Did you tell her?”

“Hell no, it’s none her damn business what’s in your pants.”

Jae raised a finger. “Question?”

“My genes are weird.” Gloria answered. “I’ve got this Adam’s apple, but these titties and curves are homegrown. I’ve got ovaries that don’t work, but a dick that works sometimes. Confused the shit out of my parents when I came out of the womb. They raised me as a boy, but they were wrong. Oh so wrong.”

Tim grumbled, “It’s just the first time I had someone walk into my shop and act a damn fool about it. I’m sorry, Gloria.”

She shook her head, leaned over the counter, and kissed Tim’s cheek. “For what, my knight in swishy armor? You had to deal with her, not me. And she’d better be glad she didn’t have to deal with me. I would have knocked her ugly-pants ass out.”

Oh, the assault charge would probably do more for the shop’s reputation than some bitch whining to her reading group. “I’m glad you didn’t hear what she had to say either. And dear Lord was that getup ugly as hell.”

The bitchy banter was nice to blow off steam for a moment, but Jae was here, and Tim wanted to see what was up. Besides, he had news for him.

“So what brings you to our humble shop?” Tim turned to face Jae properly.

“It can’t be for more condoms, your last order was for a one-hundred-count box,” Gloria chuckled, covering her mouth with a hand. At Tim’s glare, she shrugged. “Guess you want me to go check in some inventory upstairs?”

“If you could be so kind,” Tim said dryly.

She winked at Tim. “If I don’t come back down in ten minutes, you better come up there and guide me out of that labyrinth you call an apartment.”

Once Gloria swished herself up out of earshot, Tim went up on tiptoe for a better kiss that Jae happily returned.

“I’ve got great news,” he murmured against Jae’s lips.

Jae stole another quick kiss. “Funny, so do I.”

“You go first.”

“You sure?”

Another kiss. “No. I’ll go first. I’m too excited.” Tim stepped away from the temptation in a suit so he could think clearly. “I invited Poppa to come visit me, see how I’m doing since I moved out here.”

It would prevent a lot of worried calls from Georgia. And worried e-mails. That much worry wasn’t good for a man his age in his condition. And it made Tim worry and feel even guiltier. The last thing he needed was more worry.

Jae blinked for a moment, then started laughing, wrapped his arms around Tim, and held him tight. “Oh God, when is he coming?”

Tim didn’t object to the hug, but the laughing was weird. “We haven’t decided yet. I wanted to tell you first.”

Lips, still puffing breaths of quiet laughs, on his head. He’d done well to consider Jae in his plans. “Good, pet.”

Warmth started from that point of contact and spread throughout Tim’s body. He’d pleased his Sir. “I would have mentioned that I was thinking about it, but it just came out when we talked last night. So what’s so funny?”

Jae rested his cheek on Tim’s head. “If he can wait a week, he could also meet my folks.”

Tim suddenly jerked out of the hold, shoving Jae backward a step. “Wait, what? Your parents are coming over?”

“Yeah. Think about it. We’ll take care of the ‘meet the parents’ thing in one visit.”

Suddenly a list of things that Needed To Be Done started forming in Tim’s mind. The guest room needed to be dusted, the sheets washed, floor swept, fresh towels, and there was the living room and the kitchen, and the guest bathroom would need a full scrub, and—

Jae’s hand was in his hair, leaning his head back so their eyes met. “You have a week and you already keep the place spotless. That’s long enough. Relax.”

An order. He could follow that easy. Breathe in and then out.

“Is your dad staying with you?”

And then it was Tim’s turn to laugh, pointing at the ceiling. “Didn’t you hear Gloria? Hell no. He’ll get himself a nice hotel room, probably see the sights while I’m at work—oh fuck, Jae, the Leather Ball!”

Jae’s eyes opened in realization. “Shit. That same weekend, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Sir. That’s gonna be awkward. ‘Hey Mom, Dad, Poppa, I hope y’all don’t mind if we don our kinkiest and go out while you’re in town.’”

Jae tugged at Tim’s hair. “We can still do this. Your dad knows about you. My folks chose not to know. A night out together could be good for us in the middle of all that socializing, especially since we won’t be able to do much play at my house.”

Of course not. The guest room, which made a great place for a quick fuck or a spanking or just a corner when Tim misbehaved, would be occupied. Figuring out how things were going to work during these visits was going to be difficult.

And before he could even start that conversation, the bell on the door rang.

“We’ll talk later.” Jae kissed his lips once more and pulled away. “See you tonight.”

Thankfully it wasn’t Pantsuit again, but a group of young men heading straight to the kink section. Time to get back to work.

SECOND FRIDAY
of the month, and Jae’s pet was making him very proud up on stage.

Master Reggie had him in a bit of a pickle. Hands behind his back, gripping his wrists, clover clips on both nipples, attached to each other and to a horse bit Tim held in his mouth by a thin chain.

If that sucker fell down, he’d be in a world of hurt.

Jae, and frankly the rest of the crowd watching Reggie’s premiere Predicament Play demonstration, were thoroughly amused at watching Tim dance about to the tune of the switch in Reggie’s hand. Each muffled moan and yelp was quickly stifled with a clenched jaw.

Adorable.

“How long do you think he can keep this up?” Reggie causally asked the audience, swatting at Tim’s thighs, leading him from one edge of the stage to the other. “Let’s place some bets. Five minutes? Ten?”

A woman called from the front row, “Ten bucks says not even five!”

“Twenty on ten!” someone else right in front of Jae replied.

He snorted, having a great deal more faith in his pet’s stamina. “Forty for fifteen!”

Reggie looked right at him, as did Tim, whose eyes flashed with determination. Challenge accepted. “Someone start a timer.”

Master David, who was holding up the back wall next to Jae, lifted his smartphone in the air, already on the case with the display counting down from fifteen minutes.

As they watched Reggie mix up his blows, ordering Tim to lift a foot for a strike there, and Tim clenching that bit tightly, David leaned over to Jae and whispered, “Got some news for your boy that I think you should tell him.”

Oh, that didn’t sound good. Good thing said boy was occupied. “What’s up?”

“Reggie and me tried to stop the committee from doing this, but they’ve invited a certain jackass from Atlanta to the Leather Ball.”

Jae startled, turned to David, and couldn’t speak for a moment. Of course he knew who it was. The reason Tim fled across the country. The reason it was luck mixed with fate that Jae was the one to break past his closed-up “I don’t need a master” shell.

“Max Fielding,” he muttered. “Are you serious?”

“Apparently he’ll be in town anyway, and we couldn’t explain why that’s a bad idea without telling Tim’s story, and you know how bad of an idea that would be.”

Right, Tim ran off to avoid being sued for libel after that asshole nearly killed him in a scene gone wrong. Jae’s jaw felt about as tight as Tim’s was on stage. And he’d have to tell Tim about it. At least he could pick the time and place and have comfort on hand for the reaction.