Page 42 of Just a Little in Love

“Weak?” Gabriel all but burst out, then reined himself in. “Baby boy, you are one of the strongest people I have ever met.” Rowan scoffed. “Darling, I know this is hard to hear, but even if she isn’t guilty of what the detectives suspect, Janice has manipulated you for years.” He refused to use the term mom or mother. She was neither.

Rowan stayed for a long time in Gabriel’s arms.

They didn’t bother preparing dinner, as it was getting late. Gabriel ordered Chinese takeout and insisted they use chopsticks, which was quite funny when it turned out Rowan was better with them than he was.

Rowan grew quieter after they’d cleared up and Gabriel suggested he get into his PJs and they could watch a show if he wanted. Gabriel wanted to check his sore patches and add the cream, but he needed…no. This was fine, but he wanted more than fine. “Rowan, what’s your safeword?”

Rowan’s eyes widened at the question. “Red, Daddy.”

Gabriel ran a finger down Rowan’s cheek and noted the shiver. “Please go run the shower.” He was a Dom, and it was about time he started acting like one. He’d already acknowledged that for this relationship to work he had to fulfill his own needs as well, or he would be doing them both a disservice.

Rowan jumped up and did as he was told. This time Gabriel didn’t join him immediately, but prepped the bed with towels, special aloe shaving cream, and his trimmers. Rowan was washing himself when Gabriel joined him, and he caught the hurried intake of breath as Gabriel stepped inside. “I need washing, baby boy,” Gabriel said, and stood still while Rowan soaped him up. Rowan hesitated before touching Gabriel’s groin area, but Gabriel was all in. He had to know. He was hard from Rowan’s hands on the rest of him, and no one could have missed Rowan’s erection.

Perfect.

“Do whatever you think Daddy would like,” he said. And Rowan almost lit up at the instruction. He was a true submissive and enjoyed giving. He also didn’t get worried if he was given options. Many submissives would be anxious with a choice, and Gabriel guessed that Rowan might fall into that category if it didn’t involve his daddy, but he’d narrowed the choices to be specific enough to him.

Gabriel simply took Rowan’s chin in his fingers and brought his mouth down, swallowing the sigh of pleasure from Rowan’s lips. Rowan carefully soaped his hands, then starting on Gabriel’s chest, very thoroughly washed every inch of his skin. Very thoroughly. Gabriel groaned in pleasure more than once, and emboldened, Rowan instructed him to turn around so he could wash his back.

With the height difference, it was impossible to line their cocks up, but groaning, he moved Rowan so his back was against Gabriel’s chest, pressed his cock against the top of Rowan’s ass crack for friction, and reached around to touch him. If their difference in height was anything more than the five or so inches Gabriel guessed at, this wouldn’t work. Rowan’s head fell back against Gabriel’s chest with a cry, and he felt his legs wobble. Gabriel extended his other arm around his boy to press him back into him. “Lean on me, baby boy, I’ve got you.”

Rowan’s small cries were beautiful. “That’s it, baby,” Gabriel managed to croak out, struggling not to get lost in the pleasure himself. “I love the noises you make when I touch you. Let Daddy hear your pleasure.” More confident, Rowan grew louder, until with a last cry his cock pulsed, and Gabriel caught Rowan’s release in his hand because it was precious, just managing to hold on long enough to let his own orgasm barrel through him. They both panted while Gabriel concentrated on making sure his knees were locked because he was pretty sure Rowan couldn’t stand unaided right at that moment.

Pleasure and bone-deep satisfaction settled in him, and he placed an affectionate kiss on the top of Rowan’s head, then turned him gently, rinsing them both. “Are you steady?” Rowan looked adorable, but Gabriel wasn’t sure he was firing on all cylinders just yet.

“Yes Daddy.” His smile was sloppy and his eyes shone. Gabriel stepped out and quickly dried himself, then turned the water off and, with a large clean towel, wrapped his baby boy up and steadied him as he stepped out of the shower. He dried Rowan and led him to the bedroom. Rowan’s eyes widened at the towel. “More cream, Daddy?”

“Not just, baby boy. I have a trimmer and guard to tidy things up a little so I can use the cream without it drying and pulling you.” He eased Rowan down and, despite his boy’s furious blushes, got him to lie with his knees bent so he could dry the area thoroughly before using the trimmer. Gabriel looked up and saw how wide Rowan’s eyes were and grinned.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to use a razor.” Although, thinking about that and the trust he would need was enough to make his cock get interested all over again. “I have some special shaving cream and we’re going to use a trimmer on setting three.” Rowan didn’t reply. Gabriel paused. “I would never hurt you.”

Rowan’s expression cleared, and he smiled. “I know, Daddy.” Gabriel’s heart squeezed and Rowan got another kiss as a reward. Gabriel had never interfered with Rowan shaving in the morning and noticed that unlike him, Rowan didn’t have to shave every day, but now? Now that was going to be his job as well.

He very carefully trimmed all Rowan’s pubic hair but left the smattering on his balls and taint for another day. Then he gently applied the cream to the insides of his thighs. He dropped a kiss to the newly trimmed area and looked up with a smile, but then he stilled and his heart slid somewhere to his boots and skittered away. “Baby?” he watched as silent tears tracked down both Rowan’s cheeks. He’d been concentrating on his task so much he hadn’t noticed. He nearly threw everything to the other side of the bed and gathered Rowan up in his arms. “Baby, my darling boy, what did I do? Did I hurt you?” He should be whipped, pushing Rowan into intimacy he wasn’t ready for. He should—

“No Daddy, no,” Rowan’s whisper was quiet but clear. Gabriel drew back so he could see him.

“But I made you cry,” he said, trying to speak around the tightness in his throat.

Rowan seemed to search his face for a moment, then shook his head. “Because you make me happy.”

“I—” But Gabe shut up. It was Rowan’s turn to speak.

“Growing up, I was always in trouble. I spent most of my time being pulled apart by two different people. Dad wanted me to kick a ball with him, or even just watch an action movie, but Mother would scream at him and say he was too rough, or I was too sensitive.”

He took a breath. “Then when I got cancer, it seemed like she was validated, as if the universe were joining her in screaming I told you so. And it was like Dad just gave up, and she got her own way.” Rowan stayed silent for a moment, as if trying to work something out in his head. “Obviously I’m not a psychiatrist or a therapist but at a guess I would say…” Rowan swallowed. “I don’t want to use the word enjoy, but she went from being ordinary to suddenly this martyr almost. She gave up working immediately. I saw her telling friends, telling my school, and with adult eyes I can see she enjoyed the attention, the spotlight.

“Two years after they divorced, Dad hit it big with his phone app and she was furious. Not that he ever left her wanting for anything, but she’d chosen the house rather than monthly alimony because she didn’t think he would ever make it, and I’m pretty sure that killed her because she had no legal standing. Not when he was so generous with me.” He frowned. “Although now I think about it, I’m sure Father gave her money as well.”

Gabriel held Rowan and rubbed his back while he talked and wondered if he’d ever told this to anyone. He doubted it because it sounded like a revelation. As if Rowan was realizing it for the first time.

“I just got used to keeping the peace when they were fighting constantly. It seemed easier.” Rowan looked at Gabriel. “I was crying because no one's ever done that.” He flushed. “Not that specifically. Of course, I don’t mean that. I mean no one’s ever cared about my comfort. Dad tried, but he was battling both of us because I would always side with her to make things easier.”

Gabriel rewarded Rowan with a gentle kiss, which could have turned into something else, but Gabriel didn’t think Rowan had finished talking.

“It’s just.” Rowan bit his lip. “I needed you to know that was why I was crying. Because you made me feel important. Because you see me.”

Gabriel rested his forehead on Rowan’s. “You make me feel like the luckiest man alive. You’re mine. Mine to protect. Mine to care for. Mine to push if I think you’re hiding.” He smiled. “Mine to keep,” he whispered and lowered his lips and took Rowan’s.

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