Page 28 of Just a Little in Love

Rowan shook his head.

Gabriel opened his mouth to protest that he’d barely eaten, but then shut it. Then he thought about what he was doing. And Rowan. And him, and whatever relationship they had, or what he hoped to have. Because at some point in months or years, they would have to evolve. All relationships did. He nearly laughed. Here he was maybe two weeks in, and he was thinking about years?

“Rowan, do you know what a Daddy Dom is?” It was a good start.

His big, blue eyes widened. “Not…I don’t know.”

“Could you take a guess?” If Gabriel was honest, he wasn’t a hundred percent sure, but he’d like to know where Rowan’s head was at.

Rowan thought. Gabriel could see his clever mind working, because whatever Rowan was, he wasn’t stupid. He was clever, and Gabriel had an idea that this might be the way to reach him. He also had an idea that Rowan’s little needed a lot of coaxing, but being a submissive was his default setting. Gabriel just needed to make sure Rowan gave up control because he wanted to, not because he’d been beaten down to it.

“I suppose,” Rowan said slowly, “that a Daddy Dom would have more rules.” When he didn’t say anything else, Gabriel pushed a little.

“And what do you think the consequences for breaking those rules would be?”

And Gabriel saw it. He saw the second the thought reached Rowan’s brain. The moment his eyes dilated a little and his breath caught. “He might be punished,” Rowan said almost breathlessly.

And Gabriel knew in that moment what he wanted.

And it would be worth waiting for.

Chapter fourteen

Gabriel gazed at Rowan as if the proverbial light bulb had almost blinded him. Could it be that simple? He’d been struggling with letting go of what he thought he wanted, lifestyle-wise, at the same time as wanting—desperately—to see Rowan happy and cared for.

Because he didn’t see how the two would mesh.

But not just that. He ached for Rowan to see him as his lifeline, his anchor. He wanted to be what Rowan was looking for as much as he hoped Rowan was exactly what he needed. He loved what he did, but the transitory nature of many of his play-partners always left him looking for something else.

If he was honest with himself, in his heart, being a Dom wasn’t anything to do with his skill in wielding a bull whip. That was just trappings. And he hadn’t gotten satisfaction from that in a long time.

“I’m a Dom, Rowan,” Gabriel said, completely unapologetically. It was in his nature, and trying to stifle that was making him miserable, and blind to what might be right in front of him.

Rowan’s beautiful eyes suddenly filled, and he hurriedly looked down, but Gabriel caught his chin. “Rowan, listen to me,” he commanded, and Rowan’s gaze immediately shifted to his, almost as if Gabriel had flicked a switch.

“But that’s not just what I am,” he continued. “There are many types of Dominants, about as many as there are different types of submissives.” Rowan didn’t look away even when Gabriel stroked Rowan’s jaw with his finger before he dropped his hand. The small tremble and the way Rowan angled his head a little toward Gabriel’s finger spoke volumes, but Gabriel tried to tamp down his excitement.

“We need to talk, really talk. The foundation of any relationship is honesty, and I think you lied to Master Paul, and probably never read that shame kink is a big part of his requirements.” Rowan blinked rapidly and Gabriel reached for the tissues, grabbed a few, and then passed them to Rowan.

“I thought he picked me because I wouldn’t say no,” Rowan confessed.

“Oh sweetheart,” Gabriel groaned. If anyone ever needed a keeper… “And I’m betting you didn’t read the contract you signed.” Rowan flushed in answer. Gabriel sat down, hitched up the bed until his back was to the wall, and lifted his arm in a beckoning gesture. Rowan didn’t hesitate, he barely took a breath before he was tucked into Gabriel’s side.

“Now I’m going to say what I think you’re wanting in a master, but you have to absolutely promise me that if I’m wrong you will say so immediately.” Gabriel held Rowan’s gaze. “If you can’t promise me honesty, then we have no future.”

Rowan’s eyes widened and he nodded.

“Use your words,” Gabriel nudged him.

Rowan swallowed, “Yes, Daddy.”

Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat. It seemed to stop then speed up as if to make up for lost time and it took everything Gabriel had in him not to react to that honorific, except to brush a kiss on Rowan’s head. “Good boy,” he murmured.

“I think you’re a natural submissive, Rowan.” Gabriel let that sentence hang for a moment. It wasn’t exactly earth-shattering, but being a submissive and being a little weren’t always the same thing. “I believe that you’re naturally a submissive and that you only let yourself become little when you feel super-safe, and I don’t think you’ve even scratched the surface of what being a little means to you.”

Rowan tilted his head and met Gabriel’s questioning gaze. “Maybe,” he said cautiously.

“Any part of a dominant and submissive relationship is about establishing boundaries, and recognizing that sometimes those boundaries have to widen…” He paused. “And sometimes they have to narrow.” Rowan looked a little puzzled. “I think you need a safe space to experiment. You play with your friends at the club. You build, you color, but I’m guessing even if you have had a really bad day, it would never occur to you to take a teddy and curl up on the couch, maybe take a nap.”

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